Tyreek Hill Works to Rebuild Trust with Dolphins Teammates

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is focusing on repairing his relationship with teammates after controversial comments made at the end of the 2024 season. Hill removed himself from the Dolphins’ regular-season finale and suggested he might want to play elsewhere. Although Dolphins general manager Chris Grier stated Hill never formally requested a trade, Hill later apologized and retracted his comments in February.

During the first training camp practice this Wednesday, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa emphasized that rebuilding trust is a complex process. “It’s not just with me; it’s with a lot of the guys,” Tagovailoa said. “Everyone has seen that. When you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, ‘Hey, my bad.’”

Tagovailoa acknowledged that while mistakes can happen, it’s essential for Hill to show he is committed to mending relationships with the team. “He’s working on himself, and that’s the first step to me, and so I commend him for doing that,” Tagovailoa added.

Last season was a challenging one for the Dolphins and Hill individually. He recorded 959 yards and six touchdowns on 81 receptions, a notable drop from his previous two seasons where he surpassed 1,700 yards each year. The Dolphins missed the playoffs for the first time in Hill’s nine-year NFL career. Hill later expressed that his previous comments were made out of frustration and he has since apologized to Tagovailoa.

Hill, a three-time team captain, acknowledged he must earn back his leadership role this season. He expressed his desire to mature and have deeper connections with teammates. Tagovailoa noted this newfound vulnerability in Hill, sharing that he has been more open about personal matters, which could help foster stronger bonds within the team.

“Everyone knows what he can do on the field. He’s still trying to figure things out for himself as well. … That’s our teammate. We love him,” Tagovailoa said. “If you get to know him, I think you’d love him too.”

Linebacker Jerome Baker added that he believes no trust was lost with Hill, emphasizing that training camp is a critical time for building and strengthening relationships. Hill confirmed he plans to dedicate his focus solely to football this season.

“This whole offseason, I’ve been busting my tail. I want to see what it looks like whenever I focus just on football,” Hill stated. “I really haven’t been giving the best version of me. … I want to see what that version of myself looks like, so I’m looking forward to it.”