Tyreek Hill, the wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, hinted at possibly leaving the team after a season-ending loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. Hill didn’t play in the final quarter of the game, which ended in a 32-20 defeat and officially knocked the Dolphins out of playoff contention.
After the game, Hill talked to reporters in the locker room, sharing his frustration about missing the playoffs for the first time in his career. When asked what his message was to the team as a captain, Hill gave an unexpected reply.
“I don’t even know, bruh. This is my first time I haven’t been in the playoffs,” he said. “For me, I just have to do what’s best for me and my family – if that’s here or wherever the case may be. I’m about to open up that door for myself … I’m out, bruh.
It was great playing here but at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for my career.”
“I’m too much of a competitor to just be out there.”
Hill and the Dolphins reworked his contract before the season, increasing his guaranteed money to $106.5 million for the five-year deal. He still has two years left on the extension he signed in 2022.
Hill also posted a message to Dolphins fans on social media, thanking them for their support.
“Love fin nation blessing yall opened doors for the Hill family forever,” he wrote on X. “Nothing but respect and love.”
Hill had a tough season in 2024, his worst since joining the Dolphins. After two years of over 1,700 yards and 119 catches each, he finished the season with just 959 yards and six touchdowns on 81 catches.
He had only two catches for 20 yards in the loss to the Jets, his third game of the season with two or fewer catches. He had only two such games in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Hill was also absent during the Dolphins’ final two possessions in the game. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that Hill’s absence wasn’t due to an injury.
“I was informed that he was unavailable right before a drive. I was not informed that it wasn’t a new injury,” McDaniel said. “And I think at that point in time, my focus was on the players and I didn’t take the time to go try to figure out more into that, just if there was guys on the field that were competing. We were trying to win a game.”
At the time, the Dolphins were trailing by two scores but managed to score a touchdown, cutting the Jets’ lead to five points. However, the Jets responded with a touchdown of their own, effectively sealing the win.
McDaniel said he had not heard Hill’s comments about possibly leaving the team and didn’t want to react to “secondhand” comments made after the disappointing loss. He also didn’t want to respond to the situation of a team captain pulling himself from a game that could still be won in the final quarter.
“It would be unfair for me to match emotion with emotion,” McDaniel said. “Right after a game when your season ends, when you are fighting for it to extend and with the full belief that you have the ability for that to happen.
I’m not going to make a rash judgment on something that, again, it’s a little cloudy in the heat of the moment for multiple reasons. So, I know clarity will be found and you do move forward with conviction as a football team, and I’ll look forward to having conversations with him this week.”
Hill’s comments highlighted a disappointing season for the Dolphins, who finished with a losing record and missed the playoffs for the first time in McDaniel’s three years as head coach.
Miami needed to beat the Jets and for the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Denver Broncos to make the playoffs. However, the Broncos defeated the Chiefs 38-0, and the video board at MetLife Stadium showed highlights of the Broncos taking a 21-0 lead in the first half.
Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said players were aware of the Broncos’ score during the game and realized they were playing “for the love of the game.”
“You play the game the same way. But I’ll be lying if I told you that we didn’t notice it,” Campbell said. “I personally noticed it and I know other guys did too. And does that affect the way he played? Maybe not. We’ll never know for sure.”
Despite the disappointing season, McDaniel, who signed a three-year extension before the start of the year, said he expects to return for the 2025 season.
Later that day, the Dolphins posted a statement from owner Stephen Ross on X thanking the players, coaches, and fans for the season.
The statement supported McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier, saying, “as we now look towards 2025, our football operation will continue to be led by Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel with my full support. Their positive working relationship is an asset to the Dolphins, and I believe in the value of stability.”
