Tyreek Hill’s season has come to a devastating halt after the Miami Dolphins star suffered one of the most gruesome injuries of his career during Monday night’s 27-21 win over the Jets.
The wide receiver went down early in the third quarter when Tua Tagovailoa hit him for a short pass along the sideline. Jets safety Malachi Moore dragged Hill down by his left leg, which buckled and bent at a shocking angle.
Dolphins trainers rushed to stabilize the knee as Hill lay grimacing on the turf. His cleats were cut off before he was carted away with his mother by his side, ESPN’s Katie George reported during the live broadcast.
As reported by the New York Post, Miami later confirmed Hill had suffered a dislocated knee. By Tuesday morning, ESPN revealed the worst: Hill also tore his ACL and multiple ligaments, an injury that will require season-ending surgery.
Hill managed to smile and wave to fans as he was wheeled off the field, even telling coaches to keep their focus on the game. “He was probably in the best spirits of any player that I’ve ever seen [have] such a terrible experience,” head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters. “He immediately had wide eyes and was talking, ‘I’m good, just make sure the guys get this win.’ He was focused on the team.”
His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, rode in the ambulance with Hill and later admitted it was “very painful” to watch. “His spirits were amazing,” Rosenhaus told WSNV 7News, while also stressing that doctors had to check for torn ligaments, cartilage damage, broken bones, or even nerve issues. Those fears have now been confirmed.
Before exiting, Hill had caught all six of his targets for 67 yards, bringing his season totals to 21 receptions for 265 yards and one touchdown through four games. It’s a crushing blow for the 29-year-old, who put up back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons in his first two years in Miami before a down year in 2024.
His teammate Jaylen Waddle was visibly shaken. “That’s my twin,” Waddle said. “Anytime you see your brother — someone you have a great relationship with outside of the game of football — go down like that, it’s always tough. He wanted me to keep my head in it. We talked when he was on the cart a little bit.”
Tight end Darren Waller admitted there’s no true replacement but stressed the Dolphins must adapt. “I feel like there will be a lot of guys in the receiver room that will have more opportunities to make plays. I have faith in them, especially from what I’ve seen over camp and the first few weeks,” Waller said. “Football is a game and a business where you got to move forward. There is no replacing [Hill], but I feel like we got guys that can get the job done.”
The fallout from the injury could reshape Miami’s future. With Hill’s deal carrying significant salary cap implications, speculation has already turned to whether this will be his last season with the team. Cutting him after June 1, 2026 would free up $36 million in cap space but leave hefty dead money charges across the following two years.
For now, the Dolphins sit at 1-3 and will head to Carolina in Week 5 without their biggest weapon. But for Hill, the focus has shifted from statistics and playoff pushes to a grueling road to recovery — one that could stretch well beyond a year given the severity of the damage.
We wish Hill the very best on his recovery journey.
Featured image credit: X/ESPN/ABC (Screenshot)
