‘I make the pressure.’ How the Dolphins landed Tyreek Hill, the fastest man in the NFL
Tyreek Hill had no intentions of leaving Kansas City, a place where over six seasons he won a Super Bowl. Became one of the most dynamic players in NFL history. A place he viewed as home.
But this NFL offseason has been as unpredictable as any in recent memory, with All-Pros such as Hill sent to other teams in shocking trades, a reminder that the multi-billion-dollar sport still is a business at the end of the day.
So to understand why Hill was sporting a Dolphins hat Thursday and addressing local reporters with left tackle Terron Armstead in Miami Gardens for the first time, you have to go back to last week when Davante Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders and received a then record-setting contract.
Hill and the Chiefs had been in talks on an extension since the conclusion of the 2021 season, his agent Drew Rosenhaus said. When the Green Bay Packers traded Adams to the Raiders, who then gave him a deal averaging $28 million per year, making him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, Rosenhaus felt the market had been reset for Hill, a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro selection who is a year younger than Adams.
Rosenhaus sought a deal that would pay Hill more than Adams and when those discussions with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach stalled, Rosenahus brought forth the idea of seeking a trade for Hill, who had one year remaining on the three-year extension he signed in 2019.
The Chiefs gave Rosenhaus permission to talk to other teams and see if any would reach the trade package Kansas City was seeking. Rosenhaus, who praised their front office for having an “open mind,” said he had “serious discussions” with 12 teams. The Chiefs and Jets initially reached an agreement on a trade package, and then Rosenhaus and New York negotiated an extension, which Hill gave “serious consideration.” Upon informing other teams that the Jets were close to acquiring Hill, the Dolphins swooped “in the nick of time,” Rosenhaus said, with an offer Tuesday night that the Chiefs accepted.
The Dolphins and Rosenhaus, who also brokered deals between the team and players such as Elandon Roberts, Chase Edmonds and Duke Riley this offseason, then began hammering out the details of an extension. When Rosenhaus met with Hill, who owns a home in North Florida, he weighed both options and ultimately chose the Dolphins. The trade and extension, a four-year, $120 million deal with $72 million guaranteed, was soon finalized.
”This is where I train at in the offseason,” Hill said. “And plus, this is where the greatest agent of all time lives. I had to come back, come home. I’ve got family here. I’ve got relatives here. So, I’m always here. Why not Miami?”
Landing Hill would have been a boon for either of the AFC East rivals but general manager Chris Grier continued his active approach to improving the team’s offense, relinquishing five picks in the next two drafts, including the team’s No. 29 and No. 50 overall pick in next month’s draft.
Hill expressed gratitude to the Chiefs organization and former teammates such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, while also looking forward to what could be in Miami. Hill called quarterback Tua Tagovailoa “one of the most accurate passers in the NFL.” He was drawn to the energy of new Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel when they first met and the potential for a Deebo Samuel-like role in Miami. In Kansas City, the Chiefs found similar ways to get him the ball, such as handoffs out of the backfield.
“The way that [McDaniel] utilized Deebo Samuel in that offense was crazy, right?” he said. “Deebo Samuel is a freak athlete, right? So, I’m just excited, and that’s all I’m going to say.”
Wearing a chain of his “10” jersey number, Hill made sure his flashy personality wasn’t outdone by the gold around his neck. He drew frequent laughter from the crowd of reporters and family members in attendance with his one-liners. He joked about what the speedy duo of himself and Jaylen Waddle could be and even challenged his new teammate Armstead.
“I really want to race him, too. I heard he ran a 4.6,” Hill said of Armstead, whose 4.71 40-yard dash is the fastest ever for an offensive lineman.
Maybe more importantly, he brought a jolt of swagger and confidence that an at-times lifeless Dolphins offense needs —”I don’t make the pressure, dawg, I am the pressure — one that could match that of the team’s defense.
“I’m looking forward to going against ‘X’ [Xavien Howard] in practice,” Hill said, “going up against Byron Jones. Blocking Jerome Bake[r]. So, I’m looking forward to everything. It’s going to be fun. There’s probably going to be some scraps, talk trash.”
With Hill and Armstead officially together in Miami, the two faces of a new era of Dolphins football, they’re looking forward to crafting a new personality on offense.
“We’re going to try to turn these Sundays into a track meet,” Armstead said. “A physical track meet. Let’s not try to overshadow that at all.”
“Gear up,” Hill said. “It’s going to be a fast season but it’s going to be a fun season.”
This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 6:16 PM.
