MIAMI GARDENS — I was born in Chicago. One day my family went to Rainbow Beach and one of my favorite cousins, Craig, walked into Lake Michigan with a towel wrapped around him. When I asked why he did it, he replied he wanted to see if the towel would keep him dry.
This is what it was like to cover Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Tyreek, a likely future Hall of Famer, is being released by the Dolphins along with edge rusher Bradley Chubb, wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and guard James Daniels. Tyreek’s release saves the Dolphins $23.9 million.
Tyreek was the best and most dynamic player the Dolphins have had in two decades. And possibly the most puzzling. There’s the fun side such as when he’s orchestrating touchdown celebrations, and there’s the serious side that involves domestic abuse allegations. I’ve never experienced anyone like Tyreek in 30 years of covering pro sports.
I’ll look back on the Tyreek era (2022-25) with a big smile. He made two Pro Bowls, established season franchise records for receiving yards (1,799) and receptions (119), and made us laugh several times.
The Dolphins, however, might look back on the Tyreek era with regret. At times he was a major headache on and off the field, and they never won big with him despite acquiring him in a five-for-one trade.
Yes, Tyreek, a speedy 5-foot-10, 191-pound ball of muscle, came with plenty of troubling off-field issues.
But the fact is the Dolphins wasted a great talent in Tyreek, a seven-time All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection.
Miami was only 28-28 in games that Tyreek played in his four seasons.
You know I always said the Dolphins’ offense was about two things – Tyreek Hill, and the threat of Tyreek Hill.
The Dolphins were 14-5 (.737) when Tyreek had 100 or more yards, and 14-23 (.378) when he had 99 or fewer.
In the 2023-24 seasons the Dolphins were 11-0 when Tyreek had 100 or more yards. But in that same span they were 2-10 against playoff teams and Tyreek didn’t have a 100-yard game against a playoff team.
Tyreek wasn’t without fault. He had big drops in games against Buffalo, Kansas City and Philadelphia, to name a few.
Still, Tyreek influenced winning more than quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tyreek’s speed was the reason defenses played the two-deep safety look. Tyreek was the reason the run game was No. 6 in the league in 2023. He’s the reason the offense was No. 1 in the league in 2023.
Tyreek is the main reason Tua had success. Look at Tua’s numbers before Tyreek (9-8 record as a starter, 27 touchdowns, 15 interceptions), with Tyreek (26-14, 55 touchdowns, 33 interceptions) and after Tyreek (5-5, 13 touchdowns, 11 interceptions).
Off the field, Tyreek was fun…until he wasn’t. But consider the absurdity.
I mean, in the history of the NFL how many wide receivers get sued by a female social media influencer as a result doing football drills in the wide receiver’s backyard? Football drills?!
Her allegation said, “Unfortunately, after getting ‘humiliated’ in front of friends and family when he was knocked backwards during a friendly football lesson by his friend Sophie Hall, Tyreek became enraged, and forcefully and purposefully shoved Ms. Hall, severely fracturing her leg.”
Tyreek’s response claimed “a dog disrupted a drill” and she fell over the dog and broke her leg.
“The notion that Mr. Hill became upset because Ms. Hall ‘held her own’ in playful football drills is absurd,” Hill’s attorney wrote in a court document. “These drills were playful.”
The entire episode is ridiculous.
Yes, there were numerous other Tyreek incidents.
You’ll probably remember a few of these (it’s not a complete list):
— Police called to his house for a domestic incident in January 2024;
— A house fire that same month;
— The lawsuit from the female social media influencer;
— The assault allegation at Haulover marina;
— The divorce petition that was filed, denied and then curiously withdrawn;
— He was detained by police outside Hard Rock Stadium before the 2024 season opener against Jacksonville;
— He trolled Dolphins fans after the Houston loss in 2024;
— And, of course, there was the infamous “I’m out” declaration after the 2024 season finale.
You knew the 2025 season was Tyreek’s last in Miami. He was scheduled to cost $51 million against the salary cap.
I’ll miss Tyreek. He’s the most unique athlete I’ve ever covered, and I mean that in every way. The speed. The smile. The intense practices. The off-field antics.
In the final analysis, was Tyreek’s acquisition a success?
Well, summing up Tyreek’s time with the Dolphins, similar to as summing up Tyreek, is complicated.