Dolphins’ Hill discusses not being used at goal line, lack of deep throws. And injury news
Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill said Friday that he spoke with coach Mike McDaniel about the staff’s decision not to use him on four plays near the Packers goal line in the fourth quarter of the Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay.
Offensive coordinator Frank Smith said the Dolphins opted to use bigger-bodied players on those plays, though 5-8 rookie receiver Malik Washington was used over the 5-10 Hill, whose listed weight is the same as Washington’s (191).
“As a teammate, you understand personnel and certain things coaches are looking for,” Hill said of his reaction to not playing those snaps. “But as an individual, as a competitor, it sucks. Because at the end of the day, if we don’t score there, I’m going to feel some kind of way. My mindset, the growth I’ve had in my career throughout the years, I’m a teammate now, I’m in a better space and I understand what the coaches are exactly trying to do.”
The Dolphins failed to score on that drive, and Hill was summoned back to the sidelines after running on the field before one of the plays. De’Von Achane was stuffed on second-and-goal from the 1, Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete on third down and was sacked on fourth down.
“I have no bad blood,” Hill said of the staff’s decision not to use him on those plays. “I’m in great spirits regardless of whatever is going on. I did have a conversation with coach. It kind of helps me understand their point of view and exactly what they’re trying to do. I understand it.
“Everything is about scheme. In that scenario, I wasn’t a part of it. It is what it is. We all have to learn from it as a group, not just the coaches, but also the players.”
How would a younger Hill have handled being on the sideline in those situations?
“I would have been hot. I would have been cussing someone out on the sideline. I probably would have been on Twitter talking trash, saying ‘get me out of here’…
“I feel right now, I’ve got to be a great example for the young guys in this locker room. If I am being very outspoken, if I’m being a diva about not getting the ball, about not being in the game, those guys are going to be a reflection of who I am, [and say to themselves] ‘if Reek can do it, I can do it too.’ I don’t want to bring that kind of negative attention inside of our locker room.
“My mind-set, the growth I’ve had in my career throughout the years, I’m a teammate now, I’m in a better space and I understand what the coaches are exactly trying to do. The season isn’t going the way we all planned, so why add any more drama to it.”
Asked if he would have been on the field in those situations in past years, Hill said: “Yes, I have. I feel teams change. Coaches change. Schemes change. We all know how it goes. It’s all about trying to get a competitive advantage at the end of the day. Coach feels like if we went with heavier personnel, he would be able to throw a quick pass to whoever.
“When I went back and looked at it, I thought it was a great idea. We just had some guys kind of get caught in the trash, which is nobody’s fault. We just have to be better as a unit.”
Smith’s full explanation for removing Hill from the game: “We’re down inside the tight red zone and, once we got in there, we liked our heavier personnel groups trying to invite a defense to run on. We just didn’t execute.”
Hill said his wrist, which has kept him out of several practices over the past month, “feels the same as it has for weeks. I’ve been doing whatever I can to rest it, recover the best way I can. The training staff here has been doing a great job of allowing me to take days when I need it, to get a break from catching.. and blocking.”
Hill has been targeted on far fewer deep balls than his previous two years. That’s one big reason why his receptions are down from 119 last season to 55 this season and his receiving yardage down from 1,799 to 654.
Hill said he’s not troubled by that.
“If you look at the defense we play against, guys aren’t allowing a deep shot to the Miami Dolphins,” he said. “Defenses are falling in love with playing Cover 2 defense against us. [Defenses] don’t care about nothing else, don’t care about the run game. They just want to stop 10 and 17 [Jaylen Waddle] from [highlight plays].
“You got to do whatever the team needs you to do in that moment. If that requires you to block 30 guys a game [you do it]... Eventually it’s all going to turn. If we continue to have the success we’ve been having — Tua has been playing lights out — defenses are going to change.”
INJURY REPORT
The Dolphins listed seven players as questionable for Sunday’s game: left tackle Terron Armstead, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., cornerback Kader Kohou, running back Raheem Mostert, outside linebackers Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode and long snapper Blake Ferguson.
McDaniel said he’s optimistic about Armstead (knee), Kohou (back) and Walker (hamstring). The Dolphins might wait until next week or beyond to activate Chubb and Goode, who haven’t played since late last season because of knee injuries. Ferguson has missed seven games while on the non-football injury list.
Mostert has been dealing with a hip injury for weeks.
Cornerback Kendall Fuller, who missed three games with a concussion, will play Sunday. So will right tackle Kendall Lamm, who has been dealing with an elbow injury.
For the Jets, All Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner and running back Breece Hall are doubtful. Linebacker CJ Mosley is out.
THIS AND THAT
▪ In the wake of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence being concussed when he was clobbered by Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair while sliding, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said it’s “incredibly difficult” to teach players how to tackle quarterbacks.
Each week, “you watch what’s in this quarterback’s DNA,” Weaver said. “Trevor Lawrence was a guy who wasn’t sliding a lot. He would try to run through you. I can understand why something like that would occur. The onus is on the defensive guy and rightfully so. If you see a guy going into a slide position, you have to pull up.”
But if you act like you’re going to slide and don’t, “don’t be surprised if you get hit late.”
The NFL suspended Al-Shaair three games. Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, said the league deemed the hit “unacceptable” and that Al-Shaair’s “continued disregard” for rules governing player safety “will not be tolerated.”
▪ Asked the biggest surprise of this season, Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey said “our record.” Miami is 5-7.
This story was originally published December 6, 2024 at 2:35 PM.
