THE GEORGIA-BORN PRO BOWL VETERAN AND LAST YEAR’S LEADING RECEIVER CONTINUES TO LEAP OVER OBSTACLES WITH FINESSE AND HE’S PLANNING TO GO OUT ON TOP

BY WILL HARRIS

Just as this year’s NFL season was kicking off pardon the pun for the Miami Dolphins, wide receiver Tyreek Hill found himself in the headlines for a reason that had precisely zero to do with sports: on his way to the Hard Rock Stadium, he was pulled over for a minor traffic violation and ultimately found himself taken to the ground by police and handcuffed.

When all was said and done, Hill was cited for careless driving and a seat belt violation. And, hey, let’s not forget about the way the rest of the day went down: Hill went on to help steer the Dolphins to a nail-biting 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, catching seven passes for 130 yards, including an blistering 80-yard touchdown.

But that’s Tyreek Hill for you: the guy is a superstar on the field, and he has been for a long time.

Plus, lest we forget, his superstardom started well before he ever found his way onto a football field. In 2012, Hill was one of USA Today’s All-American track and field selections, the same year he was designated Track and Field News’ “High School Athlete of the Year.”

While attending Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, Hill split his time between track and field and football, but upon transferring to Oklahoma State in 2014, he began his path to football fame in earnest. Although he was dismissed from the team because of an arrest and guilty plea for domestic violence, he transferred to West Alabama, and in the 2016 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs, who signed him to a four-year contract. Hill remained with the Chiefs through the 2021 season, making his way to the Super Bowl twice (and earning a ring once in 2019), after which he was traded to the Miami Dolphins.

2K1HDCD Baltimore, USA. 18th Sep, 2022. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs past Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (5) on a 48-yard reception for a touchdown during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, on Sunday, September 18, 2022. Miami won 42-38 after scoring four touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Photo by David Tulis/UPI Credit: UPI/Alamy Live News

Over the course of his NFL career, Hill has been chosen for the Pro Bowl in each of his eight seasons to date, and he was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. And if there’s any question that he’s still one of the best in the business, consider this: his peers placed him at the top of the list of the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.

As for what the future has in store for Hill, however, might not entail a lot more football: he’s currently planning to call it a day at the end of his 10th season.

“I’m gonna finish out this contract with the Dolphins, man, and then I’m gonna call it quits,” he said in an interview with Sports Radio 810 WHB. “I’m going to the business side.”

Hill also indicated an interest in exploring the coaching realm, but not for an extended period of time, clarifying, “I want to do so many things in my life, bro.”

Tyreek Hill

@cheetah