Recently, Miami Dolphins‘ wide receiver Tyreek Hill was ranked by ESPN as the No. 3 wideout in the entire NFL. Those who watched Hill last year would vehemently disagree. Sure, he’s probably still the most explosive player at his position, but he had a down year in 2024 and he enters training camp with a renewed focus.
“This whole entire offseason I’ve been busting my tail,” Hill said on Tuesday as NFL teams open training camp. “I told my dad, I said, ‘I want to see what it looks like when I focus just on football and focus just on myself and family.’
“I feel like I haven’t really been giving the best version of me — Tyreek — my whole entire career. I’ve been trying to be here and there.”
The Sporting News’ Shane Shoemaker notes that Hill had a below-average season compared with expectations this time last year.
“Hill is coming off one of his worst seasons, a year that snapped his streak of eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances,” Shoemaker writes. “He finished 2024 with 81 catches for 959 yards and six touchdowns — a steep drop-off from his All-Pro 2023 campaign, when he posted 119 catches for 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns.”
Hill says he’s still the same explosive player he’s always been
Hill has faced scrutiny over the last year, mainly because of his dip in production and his questioned commitment to the Dolphins. The down year can be explained – in part – by the health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He missed seven games last year and the offense tends to go into the toilet when he isn’t on the field.
What no one seemed to question, however, was whether or not Hill still had his elite speed and explosion.
“Today was our conditioning test, and at 31 years old I’m going to say I haven’t lost a step,” he said. “I’m feeling great — that’s all I’m going to say.”
The fact that he challenged Olympic sprint champion Noah Lyles to a drag race this offseason would underscore that point. The race was cancelled, but even those with elite speed should never think they are faster than someone whose lone job is to run faster than others.
Hill wants to give his “best version” and remain a Miami Dolphin
Like many Dolphins (outside of tight end Jonnu Smith), Hill didn’t end the 2024 season on a high note. Quite the opposite, he removed himself from a Week 18 loss to the New York Jets when it was obvious the season was lost at that point.
But, Hill walked back those comments in February when he told FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams” that he wanted to stay in Miami.
“I do. I do. I don’t want to go nowhere,” he told host Kay Adams. “I love it. My family loves it. Kids absolutely love being on the beach every morning. So it’s an amazing thing, man.
“We are really building something special in Miami. We made it to the playoffs the first two years. Obviously, this year was hard, but if guys continue to buy into what coach (Mike McDaniel) is building and the culture that he’s trying to build, it’s going to be a beautiful thing, man.”
Hill went on to say that it doesn’t matter what the outside noise says and that the locker room knows what he’s all about.
“They know I’m not that type of player, though,” he said. “A lot of people may say, ‘Reek is a hothead. He’s this. He’s that.’ But all my teammates know.”
With training camp underway, it’s now time for Hill to put all of the offseason nonsense behind him and get to work. If he returns to 2023 form, none of this will be remembered.
