In case you missed it, Tyreek Hill suffered a gruesome leg injury on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets. While falling out of bounds on a catch attempt, he landed awkwardly on his left leg, dislocating his knee and tearing multiple ligaments. Though surgery reportedly went well and he’s expected to be on track for next season, analysts like Emmanuel Acho believe he may never be the same.
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It goes without saying that Hill is out for the season. It’s a tough blow to a Miami Dolphins team that has started the season 1-3. Now, without Tyreek, coach Mike McDaniel will need to prove his worth and maintain a solid offense without his best weapon.
Immediately after he suffered the injury, Hill was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. He promptly got surgery, which the doctor and his agent said “went well.” As of today, reports indicate he’s on track to play next season. Despite this, former NFL player Acho remains skeptical.
“I’m going to take what his agent said with a grain of salt. I’m just being honest,” Acho started on Speakeasy.
“After a catastrophic surgery, they said that he dislocated his knee. Multiple ligaments were torn. After a surgery like that, players sometimes don’t ever come back the same,” he added.
It’s the unfortunate truth of the situation. On top of that, Hill will be 32 by the time he’s healthy enough to play again. He’ll likely make a comeback, but it would be surprising if he’s ever moving like “the Cheetah” again.
Acho backed up his claims by pointing out that Hill’s entire game is built on speed, and an ACL injury will severely hinder that going forward.
“Tyreek Hill is a player that plays a game predicated on speed. Predicated on getting in and out of breaks. Predicated on scaring defensive backs with his speed. So much so that you stay off 10-15 yards, and he catches easy hitches, easy stops, easy ‘now’ passes,” Acho said.
Shortly after that, the former linebacker posed a good question to the audience. “If Tyreek Hill can no longer scare you with his speed, then is he still going to be the same factor?” Acho questioned.
It’s hard to believe that will be the case. Hill is not a big guy. He’s small and slender and has built a career on burning cornerbacks for long touchdowns. Now, with his speed likely hindered, it’s a long shot that he’ll ever be as fast as he once was. And if he’s not fast, what does he bring to the table?
Later on, Acho also pointed out that Hill has been on a steady decline since 2024.
“I also gotta remind everybody this: even before the [2025] season, Tyreek Hill had statistically started to decline. 2 years ago, Tyreek averaged 112 yards per game. Last year, I think he averaged 50 or 60 yards per game. This year, again, he was averaging 50 yards per game.”
However, Acho allowed for the possibility that Hill’s decline may also stem from non-sporting reasons.
“Retroactively, we heard all of the off-the-field troubles that he put himself into. Getting divorced right now with his wife. Everything that was going on last year. Who knows what was going on in the home?”
Hill has been involved in domestic assault disputes throughout his career. It’s a stain that should not be forgotten from his resume. Most recently, his wife, who is now filing for divorce, alleged at least eight separate incidents of domestic violence. A few of them, she says, even involved their child.
Only time will tell if Hill gets charged with anything. He’s dodged most severe penalties throughout his life. As of now, he’s calling the new charges a “shakedown.”
That said, it could very well be the end of Hill’s productive career. He might return to the field at some point, but as Acho said, he won’t look the same.
But still, as the analyst asserted, Hill is an easy Hall of Famer, pointing to his seven-year stretch of production from 2017 to 2023 as the main reason. Over that span, Tyreek averaged 1,363 yards and 10 touchdowns per season, insane production for a receiver of his size.
