Tyreek Hill Detained by Police Ahead of Dolphins Game, Raises Questions About Treatment of Athletes
Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was detained by Miami-Dade police officers outside Hard Rock Stadium just hours before Sunday’s season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, leaving many questioning the treatment of athletes by law enforcement.
According to reports, Hill was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation around one block from the stadium around 9:30 AM EST. The incident was captured on video by fans driving to the game, showing Hill being handcuffed and placed on the ground by several officers. Hill was released from custody shortly after and went on to star in the Dolphins’ 20-17 victory over the Jaguars, catching seven passes for 130 yards and scoring an 80-yard touchdown.
However, the events leading up to Hill’s detention remain unclear, with conflicting reports emerging. The Miami Dolphins issued a statement saying Hill was pulled over for a “traffic incident” and was “briefly detained by police.” Hill himself told reporters after the game that he had “no idea” why he was handcuffed and detained.
“I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way,” Hill said. “I didn’t cuss, didn’t do none of that. I’m still trying to figure it out.”
Hill added that officers initially told him he was speeding and driving recklessly, but he remained puzzled as to why the situation escalated to the point where he was handcuffed. “I still don’t know what happened,” he said. “But I do want to use this platform to say, what if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Worst-case scenario? It’s crazy.”
The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) launched an internal affairs investigation into the incident, and Director Stephanie V. Daniels announced that one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation. “I’m committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers,” Daniels said in a statement.
Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell also revealed that he was briefly handcuffed after attempting to de-escalate the situation involving Hill. “I’d seen, I feel like excessive force, so I get out of the car to kind of just try to de-escalate the situation,” Campbell said. “They put handcuffs on me too, and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ I didn’t understand what the issue was.”
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, expressed his concern over the incident, calling it “very upsetting” and saying that there was “no reason that Tyreek should’ve been treated that way.” Rosenhaus added that Hill was “mentally very distraught” about what happened but was physically okay.
Despite the morning’s ordeal, Hill put on a dominant performance on the field, leading the Dolphins to victory. After scoring his touchdown, Hill celebrated by putting his hands behind his back, mimicking being handcuffed, a nod to the earlier incident.
The incident has sparked widespread discussion about the treatment of athletes by law enforcement and raised questions about the use of force during traffic stops. Some have pointed to the fact that Hill, who is Black, could have faced harsher consequences had he not been a well-known athlete.
“I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do,” Hill said. “What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what those guys would have done.”
“I want to be able to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on both ends, on my end and Miami-Dade, so we can do something positive for the community,” Hill said.