With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa still sidelined due to a concussion, WR Tyreek Hill has seen a drop in his performance.
Tyreek Hill’s frustration became evident during Monday Night Football. Especially when cameras caught him yelling at the Dolphins’ staff. Hill lost his cool as the team trailed late in their game against the Tennessee Titans.
Although it’s unclear what Hill was saying, the cameras later showed head coach Mike McDaniel focused on a crucial 4th-and-11 play. Tyler Huntley, filling in as the third-string quarterback, managed to complete a pass on that play. He kept the drive alive and eventually leading to a touchdown. However, it wasn’t enough, as Miami fell 31-12.
Huntley, stepping up for both Tagovailoa and injured backup Skylar Thompson, ended the game with 14 completions from 22 attempts for 96 yards. In addition, he also ran the ball eight times for 40 yards and rushed a touchdown.
Tyreek Hill’s numbers weren’t as impressive. He caught four of seven targets for just 23 yards and no touchdowns. He also carried the ball three times, gaining 19 yards.
Miami, one of the early favorites to win the AFC East this season, had high hopes of advancing past the Wild Card round of the playoffs after two consecutive early exits. But with Tagovailoa only playing one full game, the Dolphins now find themselves with a 1-3 record, looking up at the rest of their division, including the similarly struggling 1-3 New England Patriots.
Although Tyreek Hill hasn’t publicly addressed his frustration after the game, McDaniel faced questions about it. “I would expect him to be visibly upset at somebody,” McDaniel said. “He’s a leader and wanted to do everything he could to prevent that result. There’s a lot of guys challenging each other in the locker room, and we get to see what we’re really made of.”
Tyreek Hill likely has a clear opinion about the 2024 Dolphins and what they’re “made of.” He could also be considering a return to the Chiefs, who are pursuing their third consecutive championship and a potential shot at another Super Bowl ring.
However, undoing the 2022 trade that sent Hill to Miami would be complicated. The Dolphins gave up a first-round pick, a second-round pick, two fourth-round picks, and a sixth-round pick to get Hill. If they traded him now, Miami would also face a $41.8 million cap hit in 2025. This number is on top of the $24 million they already paid him in August for however many games he’d play before the trade deadline, which is after Week 9.
While not impossible, the Chiefs would have to offer a lot to make it worthwhile for Miami. Especially with the Dolphins already managing the financial impact of Tua’s contract, which offers no protection for future concussions.
Mike McDaniel, clearly frustrated after the loss, suggested that roster changes might be on the horizon. Miami’s offense has been struggling, scoring the fewest points in the league and gaining just 184 yards against the Titans. Huntley’s attempts to connect with Hill often came up short, hinting at possible issues with the offensive line. McDaniel is now searching for solutions to turn the team around.
After the game, McDaniel was blunt in his assessment: “Bottom line is it doesn’t matter what we’re doing behind the scenes. On the field, that’s not even close to good enough, so you just have to go back to the drawing board and assess very critically.” For the Dolphins, the biggest challenge now is finding a quarterback who can lead them to victory.
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