Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins have had a disappointing season. The team is 6-7, and even if it won the rest of its fixtures, it can still miss the playoffs.
The Dolphins’ season derailed after Tua Tagovailoa suffered the fourth documented concussion of his career in Week 2. Many advised the star quarterback to consider retirement, but he returned after missing the next four games.
Miami went 1-3 in his absence, and although it has played significantly better with Tagovailoa on the field, the AFC East franchise is still two games back of the last Wild Card spot in the AFC.
Tyreek Hill Sent a Strong Message to His Teammates
The Dolphins are set to play the Houston Texans in Week 15, which will be a very tough game for them. Hill knows the importance of the game against Houston, and he made a strong statement directed toward his teammates to bring the best out of them.
“If your words don’t match your effort, get out of here,” wrote Hill via a story on his Snapchat account.
📲 Tyreek Hill on Snapchat: “If your words don’t match your effort get out of here.” (@cheetaj) #GoFins pic.twitter.com/LeR0fD1j8w
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) December 10, 2024
Out of the Dolphins’ six wins this year, only one has been against a team that is over .500, the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10.
Hill, who is averaging just 59.2 receiving yards per game this year, his worst since his rookie season, arguably had his most impactful performance in Week 14. He led the Dolphins to a thrilling 32-26 overtime win against the New York Jets and had 10 receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown.
He is ready for the season’s last four games and wants his teammates to be at their best. The Dolphins have often been labeled as “soft,” but they have an opportunity to change that narrative. It will be interesting to see how the players on the team will react to Hill’s message, as it will tell a lot about what kind of team they actually are.
Era-Defining Games Are Coming Up for the Dolphins
Under Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins have been a very entertaining team that has often blown out the bad teams but has usually struggled against the Super Bowl contenders. Moreover, the team’s lack of success in winning cold-weather games has been a big issue; unless that gets rectified, they may never succeed in the playoffs.
The Dolphins quarterback is 0-7 in games where the temperature is 45 degrees or lower. Their last two games of the season will be played in Cleveland (Week 17) and East Rutherford, N.J. (Week 18). Tagovailoa and the rest of the team need to win these games to change the notion that they are unsuccessful whenever they are forced to play in the cold.
The team has already lost one cold-weather game this season. Miami struggled a lot in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers, losing 30-17, and the players received criticism. Even if they don’t make the playoffs, the Dolphins need to get positive results in unfavorable environments. If the team continues to struggle, then the front office should look to make some tough decisions and make the required changes
McDaniel is an excellent coach, and the players love him, but he might need to change some things to make sure his players can get results no matter what the weather is.