The Kansas City Chiefs won another AFC championship in 2024 without a 1,000-yard pass catcher. In fact, they didn’t even have a wide receiver with at least 650 receiving yards in 2024.
But with tight end Travis Kelce contemplating retirement, ESPN’s Andrew Hawkins left little doubt over who the Chiefs should target on the trade market this offseason — veteran receiver Tyreek Hill.
ESPN Analyst Calls for Chiefs to Re-Acquire Tyreek Hill
The Chiefs suffered an embarrassing defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59 in large part because of their offensive line. But Kansas City pass catchers didn’t play particularly well, either.
DeAndre Hopkins, who was supposed to be a key trade deadline acquisition, dropped a pass late in the second quarter on what could have been a game-turning drive before halftime. As for Travis Kelce, he didn’t have a catch until the third quarter.
Over the entire 2024 season, the Chiefs lacked a true No. 1 wideout. Rookie Xavier Worthy led Kansas City receivers with 59 catches and 638 receiving yards.
Kelce was the only Chiefs player with better numbers. He had 97 receptions, but he averaged only 8.5 yards per catch on his way to 823 receiving yards.
To give the Chiefs’ passing game a serious jolt, Hawkins argued Kansas City should bring back Hill from the Miami Dolphins.
“That’s a player that has said he is unhappy in Miami, and they could use a No. 1 pass catcher with Patrick Mahomes in the event Travis Kelce hangs it up,” said Hawkins on ESPN’s NFL Live.
“By bringing back Tyreek Hill, you are adding an any-time pass catcher that defenses cannot stop in a one-on-one situation, very similarly to Travis Kelce in his prime.”
.@Hawk wants to see the Chiefs run it back with Tyreek HIll 👀 pic.twitter.com/qzBCzdv3oA
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 12, 2025
Hill played for the Chiefs during the first six seasons of his NFL career. Kansas City drafted Hill in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft.
He posted four 1,000-yard seasons in six years with the Chiefs. Hill was the team’s No. 1 receiver in 2019 when the Chiefs won their first Super Bowl championship with Mahomes at quarterback.
Does Tyreek Hill Really Want To Leave the Dolphins?
Hawkins wasn’t the first one to propose the Dolphins trade Hill this offseason. Since the season finale, pundits have speculated about a Hill trade because of how the receiver reacted in front of the media after Week 18.
“I’m opening the door. I’m out, bro,” Hill told reporters, via The Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly. “It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I got to do what’s best for my career.
“I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.”
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, described the comments as “passionate.” Hill was also clearly frustrated about Miami’s disappointing 2024 campaign, in which the team ended with an Offense+ grade of 76.3 (C).
The Dolphins also finished 20th in points per drive. Miami’s offensive statistics were even worse in the six games quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who finished with a No. 8 ranking (85.6) and B grade in PFN’s QB+ metric during the 2024 regular season, missed.
But admitting Hill was just being passionate and frustrated hasn’t been enough to stop the rumor mill around the veteran receiver. The receiver’s own comments, though, could begin to do that.
Hill walked back his Week 18 postgame comments while speaking to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and Chris Simms on Feb. 7.
“I fully take it back. I’m going to take full accountability of it,” Hill told Florio and Simms. “I’m going to come back next year, hoping to still be there, and bust my tail for the team, for the guys, for the fans, for the whole city.”
As a follow-up question, Florio asked Hill if he wants to be back in Miami next season. With 100% certainty, Hill said, “I want to stay with the Dolphins.”
Clearly, Hill’s comments aren’t going to completely stop analysts such as Hawkins from connecting Hill to other teams this offseason. But the likelihood of Hill moving to another organization, even his former one, appears a lot less likely after he took back the comments that originally led to the trade speculation in the first place.
