MIAMI GARDENS \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
This is what it was like to cover Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.<\/p>\n
Tyreek, a likely future Hall of Famer, is being released by the Dolphins<\/a> along with edge rusher Bradley Chubb<\/a>, wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and guard James Daniels. Tyreek\u2019s release saves the Dolphins $23.9 million.<\/p>\n Tyreek was the best and most dynamic player the Dolphins have had in two decades. And possibly the most puzzling. There\u2019s the fun side such as when he\u2019s orchestrating touchdown celebrations, and there\u2019s the serious side that involves domestic abuse allegations. I\u2019ve never experienced anyone like Tyreek in 30 years of covering pro sports.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Yes, Tyreek, a speedy 5-foot-10, 191-pound ball of muscle, came with plenty of troubling off-field issues.<\/p>\n But the fact is the Dolphins wasted a great talent in Tyreek, a seven-time All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection.<\/p>\n Miami was only 28-28 in games that Tyreek played in his four seasons.<\/p>\n You know I always said the Dolphins\u2019 offense was about two things \u2013 Tyreek Hill, and the threat of Tyreek Hill.<\/p>\n The Dolphins were 14-5 (.737) when Tyreek had 100 or more yards, and 14-23 (.378) when he had 99 or fewer.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t have a 100-yard game against a playoff team.<\/p>\n Tyreek wasn\u2019t without fault. He had big drops in games against Buffalo, Kansas City and Philadelphia, to name a few.\u00a0<\/p>\n Still, Tyreek influenced winning more than quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.<\/p>\n Tyreek\u2019s 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\u2019s the reason the offense was No. 1 in the league in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tyreek is the main reason Tua had success. Look at Tua\u2019s 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).<\/p>\n Off the field, Tyreek was fun\u2026until he wasn\u2019t. But consider the absurdity.<\/p>\n I mean, in the history of the NFL how many wide receivers get sued by a female social media influencer<\/a> as a result doing football drills in the wide receiver\u2019s backyard? Football drills?!<\/p>\n Her allegation said, \u201cUnfortunately, after getting \u2018humiliated\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Tyreek\u2019s response claimed \u201ca dog disrupted a drill\u201d and she fell over the dog and broke her leg.<\/p>\n \u201cThe notion that Mr. Hill became upset because Ms. Hall \u2018held her own\u2019 in playful football drills is absurd,\u201d Hill\u2019s attorney wrote in a court document. \u201cThese drills were playful.\u201d<\/p>\n The entire episode is ridiculous.<\/p>\n Yes, there were numerous other Tyreek incidents.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll probably remember a few of these (it\u2019s not a complete list):<\/p>\n \u2014 Police called to his house<\/a> for a domestic incident in January 2024;\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014 A house fire<\/a> that same month;\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014 Paternity suits<\/a>;\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014 The lawsuit from the female social media influencer<\/a>;<\/p>\n \u2014 The assault allegation<\/a> at Haulover marina;\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014 The divorce petition<\/a> that was filed, denied and then curiously withdrawn;<\/p>\n \u2014 He was detained by police outside Hard Rock Stadium before the 2024 season opener against Jacksonville;<\/p>\n \u2014 He trolled Dolphins fans <\/a>after the Houston loss in 2024;<\/p>\n