The biggest NFL storyline following the regular season’s conclusion has nothing to do with the playoffs. It has everything to do with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who put himself on the trade block following Miami’s Week 18 loss.
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Most media members, including Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, chastised Hill for his actions on Monday. FOX Sports analyst Paul Pierce took a different view. On Monday’s episode of Speak, Pierce became the first prominent voice to back Hill’s position.
“I’m with him on that… first of all, he started off the season in handcuffs… why do I wanna come back to this city, where I’m in handcuffs, I’m not making the playoffs and I’m not winning?… He [has] been to the mountain top, so he’s like, ‘I’m [getting] towards the end, I want to win. And I don’t wanna have to deal with this, what I had to deal with this year.”
Fellow analyst Keyshawn Johnson was torn on Hill’s request. He believes Hill only acted in such a fashion because he didn’t have a “cool down period.” A break, according to Johnson, would’ve helped Hill deal with both the Dolphins missing the playoffs and him falling short of 1,000 receiving yards.
Another aspect, according to Speak co-hosts Joy Taylor and Michael Irvin, was Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa missing from action for a good part of the season. This is what they elected to focus on when discussing Hill’s motives for wanting out of Miami.
Tua Tagovailoa’s absence impacting Tyreek Hill
Ahead of the 2024 campaign, Tyreek Hill was voted to be the NFL’s top player by his peers. This recognition came after back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023. His numbers in 2024 fell off a cliff, in large part, because Tua Tagovailoa missed six games due to injury.
Irvin reminded fans about that during the show, but also pointed out that it was Hill who wanted to go to Miami in the first place.
“He orchestrated this… [Miami] is where he wanted to be… where he wanted to go… this, I thought, was overreaction. When you got 119 catches [and] 1,700 yards in 2022, you came back with 119 [catches] the next year for 1,799… he’s upset. I understand that… he [has] played a lot without his quarterback.”
Taylor broke down Hill’s production after Irvin’s comments. She revealed Hill recorded “essentially half” of what he provided the past two years of this season.
But in her estimation, Hill is seeking a trade for a variety of reasons, one of which is Tagovailoa’s injury history.
“He’s going into his 10th year. I do think that has something to do with it. He is upset that they missed the playoffs. That has something to do with it. But Michael’s right; the numbers are down significantly… because his quarterback wasn’t available… but [Tagovailoa’s] notorious for not being available.”
Irvin and Johnson differed in their opinions on the situation. Irvin stated he believes Hill is “using the playoff stuff to get the point across about his numbers.” Meanwhile, Johnson insisted Hill’s focus was on the lack of playoff success compared to Kansas City.
Hill getting himself traded in the first place showed he valued individual production and money over winning the Super Bowl. Johnson argued Hill feels differently now because “the money has run out.”
However, Irvin remembered Miami altering Hill’s contract before the season began. He then indicated Hill now fighting to escape wasn’t a good look.
Both men have decade-long NFL careers to draw from when talking about Hill’s predicament. But Hill made his bed when he twisted away from the Chiefs.
Not wanting to sleep in it when trouble arrives won’t increase his appeal to most contending teams. One must overcome adversity to succeed in the NFL. At this moment, Hill is doing all he can to avoid it.
