By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A frustrated Tyreek Hill might want out of Miami.
The star wide receiver appeared to indicate after the Dolphins’ 32-20 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday that he could want to play elsewhere next season.
“This is the first time I haven’t been in the playoffs,” Hill said. “For me, I have to do what’s best for me and my family, if that’s here or wherever the case may be. I’m (going to) open that door for myself. I’m opening the door.
“I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for my career. … I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.”
Hill had two catches for 20 yards against the Jets after being listed as questionable with a wrist injury and illness. He also returned a punt for 2 yards in the loss that ended the Dolphins’ season under .500 at 8-9 on a day when they were eliminated from the playoffs when Denver beat Kansas City while Miami was still playing.
He bemoaned not having quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who missed the last two games of the season with a hip injury.
“Whenever you’re missing your franchise player, it kind of (stinks),” Hill said.
After leading the NFL with 1,799 yards receiving last season, Hill finished this season — his third with the Dolphins — with just 959 on 81 catches. It was the first time he didn’t have 1,000 yards receiving since he had 860 with Kansas City in an injury-filled 2019 season. It was also his fewest receptions since he had 58 in that same season.
“Love fin nation,” Hill wrote on X after the game. “Blessing yall opened doors for the Hill family forever nothing ,but respect and love.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game he hadn’t heard Hill’s comments directly and only knew about them from someone passing them along.
“Emotions are high, especially after a game like that,” McDaniel said. “There will be conversations that will be direct in the next couple of days. There is a lot of power in having a team that wants to play together and go for a common goal. I’m not going to put too much weight on second-hand postgame disappointment statements.
“We’ll see how the next couple of days progress with those conversations with him and I.”
McDaniel did say he was told at one point in the second half that Hill was “unavailable right before a drive” and was not told it was the result of a new injury. Hill, however, said he was “pulled” from the game.
“At that point in time, the focus was on the players and I didn’t take the time to figure out more into that,” the coach said. “There were guys on the field that were competing. We were trying to win a game, so my focus was there.”
McDaniel also warned about matching “emotion with emotion” after a game.
“I’m not going to make a rash judgement on something that is a little bit cloudy in the heat of the moment for multiple reasons,” he said. “Clarity will be found and you do move forward with conviction as a football team. I look forward to having conversations with him this week.”
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL