Thursday was Tyreek Hill Day in Frankfurt, Germany — unofficially, at least.
The Miami Dolphins‘ star wide receiver spoke to reporters not long after being named the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Month.
He was asked about friend and former teammate Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift. (Hill wisely ducked the question, adding, “That’s a dangerous crew.”)
But of course, the main topic of conversation was Hill for the first time facing the Kansas City Chiefs — with whom he spent six standout seasons and won a championship.
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill on Playing Kansas City Chiefs
Hill has tried to downplay the significance of the showdown — but there’s no doubt that this one means more. He said earlier this week that he wanted the game to be held in Kansas City — which was where it was originally scheduled before the NFL moved it to Frankfurt.
“They gon’ get this work wherever,” Hill said with a smile, per the Miami Herald.
Levity was a big part of his Thursday availability — like when he joked that fullback Alec Ingold, not he, was the true MVP of both the team and the league. (His comments, in full context, suggested that he thought Tua Tagovailoa was the most deserving of the award.)
But he got a bit wistful when asked how hard it was to leave the Chiefs.
“I was a young guy trying to find himself in the league,” Hill said, per the Palm Beach Post. “I was able to mature so fast. I kind of took it on and didn’t look back. The coaching staff trusted me there. I loved every minute. I wouldn’t take anything back.”
MORE: Why Miami Dolphins Opponents — Starting With the Kansas City Chiefs — Should Be Very Concerned
As for how hard it was to process the trade, Hill said:
“It took some time once I noticed that Andy [Reid] and Pat [Mahomes] weren’t going to call me back about a deal. But besides that, it took some time, man. Yeah, it definitely took some time.”
How long did it take Tyreek Hill to process the trade? pic.twitter.com/f1XqfdU1Vy
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 2, 2023
Back-to-Back Player of the Month Honorees for Miami Dolphins
Hill became the second Dolphins player in as many chances to be named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
Tagovailoa won the award in September. Hill took home the honor in October.
Some remarkable stats, courtesy of the Dolphins:
- Hill not only led the AFC with 602 receiving yards in October, he did so by 114 yards.
- His 16.7 yards per reception in the month was the highest of any AFC player with at least 20 receptions.
- He was third in the conference with four receiving touchdowns.
- Twenty-four of Hill’s 36 receptions in October went for first downs.
- He has the league’s longest active streak of games with a touchdown (four).
“It’s always an honor to receive something like that,” he said. “To be voted anything in this league is special, so for me to be able to be put in performances like I have, I’ve got to give a credit to my teammates. They’ve been unbelievable also.
“Tua, the line, [Jaylen] Waddle. Really just those whole entire offense. That really helps me out a lot. I know I’ve said it a million times, yes, I make a lot of plays, but without my teammates, none of this would be possible. To God go the glory, always.”
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