Hours after police detained him outside the stadium for a traffic incident before his team’s season opener, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said he was still trying to process the situation.
“Right now, I’m still trying to put it all together,” said Hill, after he played — and scored a touchdown — in Miami’s 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. “I’m not going to give you my version. I still don’t know what happened. I want to use this platform to say, ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ Like worst-case scenario. It’s crazy.”
Hill was detained by police outside of Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday morning. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN that Hill was ticketed for a traffic violation while arriving at the stadium. Videos on social media showed Hill on the ground and being handcuffed while surrounded by four Miami-Dade police officers. Defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who arrived at the scene, told ESPN he was also detained and cited for disobeying a direct order. He said he saw Hill in handcuffs and believed it was “excessive force.”
Miami-Dade Police Department director Stephanie Daniels said in separate statements Sunday that she had requested a review of the incident and that one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative duties while the investigation takes place.
“I have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation to ensure a thorough review of the matter,” she said.
Rosenhaus told ESPN that he wanted to look into the situation to “make sure (Hill) wasn’t mistreated.”
Hill was released in time to play in Sunday’s game and played a key role in the win, catching seven passes for 130 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown. In celebration of the touchdown, Hill mimicked his detainment by putting his hands behind his back.
Tyreek Hill. 80 yards for a TD!
📺: #JAXvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/fNSbBgqRVI— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
“I have a lot of respect for cops,” he said after the game. “But obviously everybody has bad apples. … I want to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on both ends, on my end and on Miami-Dade so that way we can team together and do something positive.”
Hill, 30, led the NFL in receiving yards (1,799) and touchdowns (13) last season and has 3,509 yards in two seasons since joining Miami via trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. The five-time All-Pro, alongside Jaylen Waddle, forms one of the most formidable wide receiving duos in the NFL — and was a large reason why the Dolphins won 11 games last year for the first time since 2008.
Hill agreed to a restructured contract earlier this offseason that guarantees him $106.5 million over the next four seasons.
(Photo: Megan Briggs / Getty Images)
