Late in last night’s disappointing loss to the Titans, Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill was clearly upset. Video footage shows him not yelling directly at coach Mike McDaniel, but close enough behind him that McDaniel could hear it.
After the game, McDaniel answered a question from reporters about Hill’s outburst, but Hill did not speak to anyone.
Hill didn’t meet with the media at all. According to the team, he often leaves the locker room before it opens to reporters, and that’s what happened last night.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that it violates the league’s access policy, which requires all players to talk to reporters after each game. The Dolphins aren’t the first team to try to manage a tense situation.
It’s said that the 49ers often made sure Jerry Rice was out of the locker room after games when they worried his frustrations might lead to trouble. If the media doesn’t raise a fuss about it, these situations usually go unnoticed.
It’s unclear what Hill might have said last night, but he and/or the team were careful to prevent him from having the chance to express his feelings.
Still, it’s a violation of the access policy. The media and fans should have heard from him after the game. Instead of having the coach guess about Hill’s feelings, Hill should have spoken for himself.
The league mandates this for all players after every game. There’s no exception for “I’m too upset to talk,” and there’s certainly no excuse for “I took a fast shower.”
