In a candid discussion on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast, Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill opened up about Miami’s icy defeat at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Dolphins had to put up with all the critics who called them “soft” front-runners who merely feasted off weak competition all season long.
Their playoff matchup on the road in frigid Kansas City provided them the perfect opportunity to shut all the haters up and prove their toughness once and for all.
Unfortunately for Miami, they were blown out 26-7 and the ugly loss only confirmed the doubts they had to hear about all year long.
Hill, known league-wide for his electrifying speed and playmaking abilities, managed five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in the game.
However, despite the solid stat line, Hill and the Dolphins were overmatched on the night.
Reflecting on a pivotal moment in the game, Hill recounted an exchange with head coach Mike McDaniel following a play where Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed forcefully brought him to the ground.
“The play against Sneed. The Chiefs, everybody see this play against the Chiefs. When the motherf*cker slammed me to the floor? He called me out,” Hill revealed on the podcast.
“He like, ‘Reek, bro, you’re supposed to be the f*cking best player in the f*cking league, and you got this guy putting hands all over you like that … We pay you all this money for what?!’”
Despite the harsh criticism, Hill embraced it as a challenge for improvement.
“For me, I love sh*t like that. I’m gonna take that sh*t to heart and I’m gonna get better from it,” he asserted. “That’ll never happen again to me in my life, man.”
Acknowledging the importance of accountability within the team, Hill emphasized the need for constructive criticism.
“If a motherf*cker cannot hold me accountable, I feel like I’m not gonna be able to get better,” he explained. “Like, obviously, the coaches can bypass that … But if he’s not saying nothing, like the other guys in the locker room, they’re gonna look at it as, ‘Oh, if Reek can do it, I can do it.’ And that’s not getting the team better.”
Despite the disappointing end to the season, Hill’s individual performance was remarkable.
He was on pace for 2,000 receiving yards before an injury sidelined him. Ultimately, he concluded the season with 119 catches for 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the league in both receiving yards and touchdowns.
The Dolphins, with an 11-6 record, achieved their first double-digit win total since 2020, showcasing promising strides despite the playoff setback.
The one thing that was hard to ignore was their poor record against teams with a winning record. In other words, the 11-6 mark was a bit deceiving.
Despite the awkward and borderline-aloof personality McDaniel shows publicly, he’s known to be quite emotional and straight-forward with his team behind closed doors.
He’s a player’s coach, yet as Hill pointed out, McDaniel won’t hesitate to hold anyone accountable. That’s a mandatory trait that any good coach needs to have.
What are your thoughts on Hill’s comments?
As for the Dolphins, what else do they need to do this offseason to bolster their toughness and ensure that they don’t get pushed around again?
Is Hill the best wide receiver in football? … Or does that label belong to Justin Jefferson???