Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel hit back on Sunday at Tyreek Hill’s claim that he was ‘dealing with a little issue’ during the fourth quarter against the Jets – suggesting that the receiver actually quit on the team in the regular season finale.
Hill, who has battled a wrist issue all season long, did not play in the fourth quarter of Miami’s loss to New York. The Dolphins needed a win and a Broncos loss vs. the Chiefs to sneak into the postseason, but Denver blew out Kansas City’s backups 38-0.
And while Hill told reporters that he was pulled out of the game by McDaniel, the coach described the events differently.
‘I was informed that he was unavailable right before a drive,’ McDaniel said after the 32-20 loss.
‘I was not informed that it was a new injury. And you know, I think at that point in time, my focus was on the players and I didn’t take the time to go and try to figure out more into that. There was guys on the field that were competing, we were trying to win a game, so my focus was there.’
Hill also indicated that he made a business decision for himself as he saw that the Broncos were in control against the Chiefs.
Mike McDaniel suggested that Tyreek Hill quit on the Dolphins during their loss to the Jets
The speedster Hill posted a career high 1,799 receiving yards under McDaniel last season
Hill changed his X profile picture on Monday to a mock-up of his head on Antonio Brown’s body
‘Just one of those issues, man, that like you know, you look up at the scoreboard, Chiefs are down [to the Broncos] and it’s like, OK.’
In the same bombastic postgame availability, Hill declared he was ‘out’ of Miami and spoke about his time with the Dolphins in the past tense.
‘I just gotta do what’s best for me and my family,’ Hill said. ‘If that’s here or wherever the case may be, I’m finna open that door for myself. I’m opening the door. I’m out, bro.
‘It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, bro, I got to do what’s best for my career. I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.’
Shortly after, Hill took to social media and did little to dampen the flames when he wrote: ‘Love fin nation blessing yall opened doors for the Hill family forever nothing but respect and love.’
On Monday, Hill also changed his profile picture on X to a mock-up of his head on the body of a shirtless Antonio Brown, when the ex-NFL receiver infamously ripped off his uniform and left the field (in what proved to be his last-ever game) in the middle of a game against the Jets in 2022.
McDaniel, meanwhile, did not seem overly fussed with Hill’s postgame comments.
‘I’m not going to (put) too much weight on second-hand, postgame disappointment statements,’ McDaniel said. ‘We will see how (the) next couple days progress in convos with him and I.’
Hill finished the season with 939 receiving yards, failing to hit 1,000 for the first time since 2019, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed six games through injury.
Hill, 30, is under contract until 2026 with the Dolphins after signing a three-year, $90million restructured deal ahead of the 2024 season.
