Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill expressed confusion regarding why he was detained and handcuffed prior to the team’s 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, as reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Hill, speaking to reporters including Joe Schad from the Palm Beach Post, said, “I’ve been trying to figure that out too. Right now, I’m still trying to put it all together so I’m not going to give you a version that—I still don’t know what happened.”
According to Hill, police detained him near Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday morning, citing him for “speeding” and “reckless driving.” Hill also mentioned that an officer put his hands on him while he was handcuffed, although he was later released without further action.
Sources informed ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that Hill was issued a citation for reckless driving. Videos of the incident circulated on social media Sunday morning, showing Hill in handcuffs.
Despite the incident, Hill participated in the Dolphins’ 20-17 victory over the Jaguars, making seven catches for 130 yards and a touchdown. His 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter helped ignite a 13-point unanswered run by Miami. During his touchdown celebration, Hill mimicked being handcuffed.
Miami-Dade Police Department director Stephanie V. Daniels issued a statement confirming an “immediate review of all details surrounding the incident,” as well as a review of available body camera footage. Following the game, Miami-Dade police announced that an internal affairs investigation had been launched, and one officer involved in the situation was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the probe.
After the game, Hill shared his hopes of turning the incident into a positive for the community. “I do wanna be able to use this platform and say, ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ Like worst-case scenario,” he said, per Schad. “Obviously, everybody has bad apples in every situation. I wanna be able to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on both ends, on my end and then also Miami-Dade.”
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Hill was “very distraught” about the incident, labeling it “completely unnecessary.” Rosenhaus added, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, that Hill’s legal team is considering their options, including potential litigation.
NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe also reported that Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell revealed postgame that he, too, had been briefly handcuffed while trying to de-escalate the situation.
