MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — All offseason, Tyreek Hill has heard the clip of himself frustratingly declaring “I'm out” on the Miami Dolphins after last season's disappointing finish.
The Dolphins star receiver doesn't feel that way anymore. He regrets making those comments. And he said among his goals this season is to reveal a version of himself — a more subdued, mature one — that he hasn't shown yet in his career.
“I literally heard that all offseason some kind of way on YouTube shorts because my
kids stay on YouTube." Hill said Tuesday as Dolphins veterans reported to training camp. "And I’m like, 'I don’t want to put that out there for my boys to see."
Hill has made headlines — good and bad — throughout his career. Last season's outburst that included taking himself out in the second half of Miami's regular-season finale against the New York Jets was an example of antics the All-Pro receiver said can't continue to happen.
He has since had talks with teammates and coach Mike McDaniel on how to be more of a leader moving forward, especially as he hopes to help the Dolphins deliver the playoff win that has eluded them for more than two decades.
“That’s why this year, this whole entire offseason, I’ve been busting my tail,” Hill said. “I told my dad, I said, 'I want to see what it looks like whenever I focus just on football, and I just focus on myself and family. Because I feel like I really haven’t been giving the best version of me, of Tyreek, my whole entire career. ... I just want to see what that version of myself looks like. I’m looking forward to it.”
Hill is coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro in 2024. He finished with 81 catches for 959 yards and six touchdowns — his fewest receptions and yards since an injury-filled 2019 season when he played for Kansas City, and a steep drop-off from his NFL-leading 2023 season in which he caught 119 passes for 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He said he's finding motivation for the upcoming season in a few places, such as family.
“My kids are Justin Jefferson fanatics,” Hill quipped. “They really enjoy Justin Jefferson a lot. I was talking to my son on FaceTime last night, and his mom told me ‘One of the kids came up to him and was like, ‘You’re Tyreek Hill’s son?’' And he was like, ‘No, Justin Jefferson's my dad.’”
“We play jokes with each other,” Hill added, “so I know it’s in the spirit of just playing jokes and just having fun. That’s what keeps me hungry, man. Just trying to continue to stay at the top, continuing to be a leader in my household for my kids.”
Hill has spent the offseason recovering from the wrist injury that limited him in 2024 and becoming more lean. His offseason training also included winning a 100-meter race in 10.15 seconds last month in California — a sign that he still possesses all of his trademark speed as he enters his 10th NFL season.
“Today was our conditioning test," Hill said, "and at 31 years old, I must say, I haven’t lost a step.”
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