Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill catches a pass in the first half against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Monday, September 29, 2025. Hill suffered a serious knee injury during the game.
PHOTO BY AL DIAZ
adiaz@miamiherald.com
The NFL will be reviewing parts of Tyreek Hill’s deposition in his divorce case as the league probes the star wide receiver for alleged domestic violence during his marriage, including accusations that he tried to punch his wife’s stomach while she was pregnant.
In court on Wednesday afternoon, attorneys for Hill and his wife, Keeta Vaccaro, told Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Spencer Multack that they had reached an agreement on providing Hill’s deposition transcript to league officials. The attorneys said the deposition will be handed to the NFL with some portions redacted.
In August, Multack issued an order to shield evidence in the case from being made public. The deposition may not be released publicly, and its use would be “limited strictly” to the NFL investigation, according to court documents.
A month later, Vaccaro, 29, filed an amended divorce petition, alleging eight incidents, including that Hill shoved her to the floor, ripped her hair out and tried to punch her stomach while she was pregnant. The couple was married for a year-and-half at the time of the divorce filing in April 2025. They had their daughter in November 2024.
The trial for the divorce — and domestic-violence claims — is expected to start in June, Multack noted in an order filed in January.
Vaccaro went to court in December asking for Hill’s deposition to be released to the NFL before her scheduled interview with league officials. The NFL is investigating Hill, 31, for possibly violating the league’s personal conduct policy, according to court records.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) talks with his wife, Keeta Vaccaro, before the start of his NFL game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. MATIAS J. OCNER mocner@miamiherald.com
The December filing marks the first time details about the NFL investigation have been publicly discussed. The NFL generally does not disclose which players are being investigated. From the document, it appears Vaccaro is cooperating with the probe.
The couple’s contentious divorce proceedings have painted an unflattering picture of Hill, who has faced previous allegations of violence toward women dating back to his days at Oklahoma State University.
In recent weeks, the judge admonished Vaccaro for purchasing a $196,000 Bentley as she asked the NFL star for almost $40,000 a month in temporary support and more than $325,000 in child support, according to Us Weekly.
Hill is recovering from a major knee injury, and a suspension would also likely affect his market value if the Dolphins release him.
Hill, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 4 against the Jets, made $27.7 million this season. He’s due to make $29.9 million next season, but none of that money is guaranteed and the Dolphins aren’t expected to retain him on that contract.
Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.
The high-speed life of Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill has hit a major legal roadblock as the details of his bitter divorce from Keeta Hill spill into the public record. While the 31-year-old wide receiver is used to being the one in the spotlight, it was his estranged wife who faced the heat in the courtroom this month. As the legal battle between Tyreek Hill and Keeta Hill intensifies, a judge recently criticized Keeta for her “financial priorities,” specifically a luxury car purchase that was labeled both excessive and unnecessary.
Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty
According to US Weekly, the court ordered Tyreek to pay $5,500 per month in temporary support, a far cry from the nearly $38,000 Keeta had originally demanded. The ruling comes after a deep dive into the $714,000 Tyreek had already voluntarily provided to Keeta since their split in April 2025—money the judge feels was spent with very little regard for budgeting.
The courtroom tension centered on a $100,000 car allowance Tyreek provided Keeta to secure a vehicle for herself and their daughter, Capri. Instead of sticking to the generous budget, Keeta allegedly spent an additional $96,000 of the funds to purchase a $196,000 Bentley. The judge did not mince words when addressing the massive upgrade.
“The court finds the additional $96,000 to purchase a vehicle was excessive and unnecessary,” the judge noted in court documents.
The scolding didn’t stop at the luxury SUV. The court highlighted that Keeta used Tyreek’s “unconditional” funds to pay off a Tesla she already owned, invested $60,000 into a private account, and spent $37,000 on business ventures that currently generate zero income. By the time of the hearing, Keeta reportedly had only $19,217 left of the original three-quarters of a million dollars provided by the NFL star.
The legal battle over the short-lived marriage has become a public spectacle in a high-stakes divorce. Keeta’s request for nearly $40,000 a month included a laundry list of personal expenses that the judge found difficult to justify. According to the filings, Keeta requested $3,950 for monthly cosmetics and toiletries, $4,000 for monthly clothing purchases, $3,309 for monthly grooming, and $5,000 to pay her mother to watch the couple’s daughter.
The judge ultimately ruled that these “wants” were well above what is required to maintain a standard of living during a pending divorce. Despite the lower alimony award, Tyreek is still on the hook for approximately $20,000 per month to cover the rent and household expenses for the luxury Porsche Tower condo where Keeta currently resides with their daughter.
The fallout of this divorce has also been plagued by serious allegations. In September 2025, Keeta accused Tyreek of multiple incidents of domestic violence, claims that Tyreek’s legal team has adamantly denied, calling them nothing more than a “shake down.”
In response to allegations, the NFL stated, “We were informed that the police were called to Tyreek Hill’s home, and after conversations with Tyreek and members of his family, the police departed the residence without further incident, and the case was closed.”
While the NFL continues to look into the details surrounding the claims, Tyreek is focused on securing shared parenting time and recovering his own personal belongings.
Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub reacted Thursday to President Donald Trump’s criticism of the NFL’s new kickoff rule as the team prepares for its game against the Indianapolis Colts this weekend.
Trump has been vocal about disliking the NFL’s kickoff rules, which were made permanent this year. The most recent criticism came when he appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” last week, calling it “terrible.”
Tyreek Hill listens to Dave Toub, special teams coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs, during pregame warmups prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 21, 2018, in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at,” Toub said this week when asked about it by reporters. “He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule. Take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he hears it.”
The clip began to go viral on social media, and it caught the attention of Tyreek Hill, who “love[d]” what he saw.
“F—ing animal I love it,” Hill posted to X on Friday.
Toub has been with the Chiefs as the team’s special teams coordinator since 2013, also becoming the associate head coach in 2018. Hill suited up for the Chiefs from when he was drafted in 2016 through the 2021 season. He was a returner for the Chiefs early in his career before cementing himself as one of the game’s best wide receivers.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump attends a game between the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets in Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Oct. 20, 2024. (Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty Images)
Trump was on the ESPN show for a Veterans Day special and had more critiques of the rules.
“I think it’s so terrible. I think it’s so demeaning, and I think it hurts the game. It hurts the pageantry,” Trump said. “I’ve told that to (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell, and I don’t think it’s any safer. I mean, you still have guys crashing into each other.”
In September, the president called the dynamic kickoff rule “sissy football.”
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Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit praised the new rule during “Thursday Night Football” earlier this week after Buffalo Bills’ Ray Davis ran a kickback 97 yards for a touchdown. The NFL has said the dynamic kickoff system is safer and has produced more kickoff returns.
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Few would argue that Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is a bit of a lightning rod.
He’s also one of the top wideouts in the NFL when he’s at the top of his game, which is why despite the headache Hill can be off the field, he’s still a highly coveted trade target if the Dolphins decide to move him.
Nearly two weeks ago, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs were two of the frontrunners to acquire Hill should he become available.
Now, as the Dolphins sit at 0-3 and the likelihood the eight-time Pro Bowler gets traded increases as the losses pile up, Florio claims one of those two teams may be out of the Hill sweepstakes.
Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins reacts after a play in the first quarter of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins reacts after a play in the first quarter of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Rich Storry/Getty Images
“The Steelers have lost interest,” Florio wrote. “As one source recently explained it, the Steelers are concerned that the new Personal Conduct Policy investigation…could result in a suspension.”
Through three games, Hill has had one good game (six receptions, 109 yards) sandwiched around two average ones, yet he’s sixth in the NFL in receiving yards (198) and tied for sixth in receptions (15).
Hill would instantly give the Steelers offense a shot in the arm.
Outside of two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh lacks any true playmakers with game-breaking potential. Having Hill and Metcalf split out wide would give quarterback Aaron Rodgers one of the best 1-2 punches at WR that he’s had in his career.
“Whether [Hill is traded] depends on whether [Miami’s] record is closer to 0-9 than 6-3 when their Week 9 game against the Ravens ends,” Florio added. “By then, maybe the Steelers will decide that Hill is safe from a suspension for the balance of the season. Of course, if the Steelers are closer to 1-7 than 7-1 when the trade deadline arrives, it may not matter.”
(CNN) — Dolphins star Tyreek Hill was detained for a short time by police after a traffic incident just hours before Miami’s season-opening game on Sunday, the team said on social media.
Hill, 30, is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, leading the league in receiving yards last season with 1,799 yards, while also adding 13 touchdowns. The Dolphins are playing the Jacksonville Jaguars in their Week 1 game at Hard Rock Stadium.
“This morning, WR Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic incident about one block from the stadium and briefly detained by police,” the Dolphins X account said.
“He has since been released. Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support. Tyreek and all other players involved have safely arrived to the stadium and will be available for today’s game.”
Reported video of the incident appeared to show a handcuffed Hill being picked up off the road by police.
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN the incident began as a traffic stop when Hill was driving to the stadium.
“Apparently, he got a ticket for a moving violation entering the stadium,” Rosenhaus told ESPN. “How things escalated into the situation that they were in, in handcuffs and being held on the ground with police is mind-boggling to me.”
Police have so far only released a statement from Stephanie V. Daniels, the department’s director.
“We are aware of the recent detainment of Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill by Miami-Dade Police Department officers,” Daniels said in a statement. “I have requested an immediate review of all details surrounding the incident, and we are also reviewing available body camera footage. We will provide updates as further information becomes available.”
CNN has reached out to the police for more information.
Rosenhaus confirmed to ESPN that he has spoken with Hill and shared his client’s account of the incident.
“He was given a moving violation ticket, and he’s going to focus on the game and then we’ll address this afterwards,” Rosenhaus told ESPN.
Rosenhaus said the altercation left Hill rattled.
“The most important thing is that Tyreek is okay physically. Mentally, he was very distraught about what happened,” Rosenhaus told ESPN. “Tyreek has told me over and over he’s a big supporter of police. He was telling the police there, ‘I want to be a police officer in the future.’ But this is crazy, I’ve never seen anything like this.”
In a separate interview with CBS Sports, Rosenhaus said his client was left feeling “stunned” and “very emotional” after the incident. “He had no idea why it escalated to that extent. He felt it was very inappropriate, but we’ll be dealing with that after the game.”
Hill was a “consummate professional,” Rosenhaus said. “He’s a very strong man, and I’m confident he’ll pull it together and be at his best today,” he said
Despite those emotions, Hill scored a trademark touchdown in the third quarter against the Jaguars, connecting with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for an 80-yard score.
When you get things done ahead of 31 other teams in the league, there’s always a reward.
For Howie Roseman and the Eagles, it’s a sigh of relief knowing your star players under contract for the next 2-6 years. And they’ve managed to save MILLIONS while doing so. Back in April, the Eagles extended multiple players. Now that the ink has dried on those contracts. It was about time the rest of the league got around to paying some of the other superstars.
Eagles Remain Ahead
In April, the Eagles signed their star receivers to two massive extensions.
April 15th, DeVonta Smith, 3-year, $75M + 5th year option
April 25th, A.J. Brown, 3-year, $96M
These contracts don’t come without merit, below has been the duos stat line the last two seasons.
DeVonta Smith – 33GP, 2,262Rec Yards, 14TD
A.J. Brown – 34GP, 2,952Rec Yards, 18TD
While these may have been the first few receivers to be paid this off-season, they certainly weren’t the biggest paydays handed out in recent signings.
This Weeks Extensions
In the last few days. Multiple receivers have gotten contract extensions with their current team, including:
Let’s see how these recent contracts compare with base stats of the following two seasons in comparison to the Eagles duo
Nico Collins – 24GP, 1,778Rec Yards, 10TD
Jaylen Waddle – 31GP, 2,370Rec Yards, 12TD
When comparing to the Collins deal things might look great. Keep in mind that’s only 1 season with C.J. Stroud as the Texans Quarterback. Things might change in the upcoming season as well, with the addition of Stefon Diggs as well as the hopeful return for Tank Dell’s sophomore season.
The same goes for looking at Waddle’s deal. Similar to DeVonta Smith who’s in a WR2 role behind Brown/Tyreek Hill. DeVonta Smith has put up similar numbers (108 less yards) and will be getting paid nearly $10M less across the 3 years of his deal. With these new contracts for star studded teams, which receiver would you rather in this scenario?
Past Deals
Of course these weren’t the only Receivers to break the bank this off-season, in fact multiple have already seen their new deals come through, including:
March 11th, Michael Pittman Jr, 3-year, $70M
April 24th, Amon-Ra St. Brown, 4-year, $120.01M
March 13th, Calvin Ridley, 4-year, $92M
Of course with their payday, comes the stats. How does this other batch of receivers hold up to the last 4?
Michael Pittman Jr. – 32GP, 2,077Rec Yards, 8TD
Amon-Ra St. Brown – 32GP, 2,676Rec Yards, 16TD
Calvin Ridley – 17GP, 1,016Rec Yards, 8TD
Even if Calvin Ridley had played the 2022 season. His numbers would still be somewhere between Pittman and DeVonta Smith. Depending on what team he had gone to, Ridley could have surpassed the 1,200 mark with ease.
With all these receivers being under contract for the next 3-5 Years. You’d think that means the rest of the big names due in the upcoming year have seen new deals? For some, that’s not the case.
No Contract In Sight?
Also from the 2021 Draft class with Smith and Waddle, is Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase. Entering his 4th season, Chase has put up the following his last two years as a Bengal:
Ja’Marr Chase – 28GP, 2,262Rec Yards, 16TD
Without a contract, the Bengals have exercised their $21.8M 5th year option for the following season. It will be hard to deny Chase of an extension. Even without Joe Burrow for lengthy periods, Chase has still been able to have success.
But in the NFC, there’s two more names struggling for a payday.
CeeDee Lamb – 34GP, 3,108Rec Yards, 21TD
Justin Jefferson – 27GP, 2,883Rec Yards, 13TD
Seeing every other team continue to lock up receivers might be good for the players, but certainly not the teams. A.J and Amon-Ra’s deals are going to be the closest comparison for this duo to get paid. And if they’re trying to takeover the #1 and #2 spot for highest paid receivers, teams will be looking to pay north of $30M to keep these players under contract.
After all the deals and carousel doors of acquiring younger receivers, what contracts would you offer these players who might be left still bargaining for a deal come next off-season?
MIAMI—Following reports that he was under investigation by Miami-Dade Police for his role in a violent altercation at the Haulover Marina, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill told reporters Friday that he was surprised to discover that assault is illegal in Florida. “When I knew Kansas City was going to trade me last year, there’s a reason I wanted to go a team in Florida—I was pretty sure you could kind of just do whatever here,” said Hill, adding that he even asked some of his teammates on the Dolphins whether it was okay to do something like hit a man in the back of the head without facing any kind of punishment, and they agreed that it was probably fine in Florida, and definitely in Miami. “I thought Florida was, like, the place where you went when you wanted to cause unwarranted physical harm to another person without getting in trouble. Maybe someone could double-check, because it doesn’t sound right that you can get arrested for assault here. Or maybe I’m mixing it up with sexual assault. Shit. That’s definitely got to be legal in Florida, right? Otherwise, what is even the point of this state? If you want to live somewhere where you’re apparently not allowed to commit assault, you can always go to Kansas City. Shit, maybe this is one of those states where you have to be married to the person if you want to legally smack them around.” Hill told reporters that even if he is arrested and convicted of assault, he wasn’t worried about being suspended, saying that there is absolutely no way that the NFL has jurisdiction over players who play in Florida.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Justin Herbert threw for 367 yards and a touchdown and a short-handed Chargers defense got the best of the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa as Los Angeles beat Miami 23-17 on Sunday night.
The Chargers (7-6) moved into position for the final AFC playoff berth, ahead of the New York Jets. Their hold though would be short lived if New England beats Arizona on Monday night.
“It was an incredible team win,” coach Brandon Staley said. “Defensively we answered all the challenges in the game that we had to face.
“Justin was fantastic and definitely led the way for our team. He made a lot of winning plays and really made good decisions throughout the game.”
Herbert — the sixth overall pick in 2020, one behind Tagovailoa — completed a career-high 39 passes on 51 attempts for his 21st 300-yard game. He became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 13,000 yards in his first three seasons.
“There were a lot of good things from all three phases. The defense did an incredible job,” Herbert said.
Tyreek Hill scored two touchdowns for the Dolphins, one of them on an improbable recovery of Jeff Wilson Jr.’s fumble that Hill took 57 yards to the end zone. But Tagovailoa had his worst game as an NFL starter, completing 10 of 28 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown as the Dolphins (8-5) lost their second straight.
“They played to what they’re good at, and we just didn’t execute,” Tagovailoa said. “It was very disappointing for us to go out there as an offense and show what we showed. That’s not to our standard.”
The Chargers held Miami to 219 yards despite not having safety Derwin James, cornerback Bryce Callahan and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day because of injuries. The Dolphins came in with the league’s top-ranked pass offense.
LA’s offense was buoyed by the return of Mike Williams, who had missed four of the last five games with a high ankle sprain. Williams had six catches for 116 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown while getting both feet in bounds near the back of the end zone to extend the Chargers’ lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Austin Ekeler, who finished with 104 scrimmage yards, had a 1-yard run off left tackle with 18 seconds left in the quarter to extend the lead to 17-7.
Keenan Allen added 12 receptions for 92 yards.
Cameron Dicker kicked three field goals, including one from 29-yards that gave the Chargers a 23-14 advantage with 2:40 remaining. Dicker’s kick capped a 17-play, 79-yard drive that took 8:39 off the clock.
Hill finished with four catches for 81 yards, including a 60-yard TD in the third quarter on Tagovailoa’s best throw of the night, and became the Dolphins’ single-season leader in receiving yards. Chargers cornerback Michael Davis slipped in coverage at the LA 40, allowing Hill to make an easy catch and saunter untouched to the end zone to get Miami within 17-14.
Miami’s Jason Sanders booted a 55-yard field goal with 1:10 remaining, but Los Angeles recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
“That’s hard to take. There’s a lot of investment, and it’s not good enough,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “I thought the defense played well enough for us to win. There’s stuff we can clean up, for sure. There’s a multitude of things.”
SCOOP AND SCORE
The Dolphins had 5 net yards and one first down on their first three possessions before finally getting on the scoreboard, thanks to Hill.
On second-and-4 from the Miami 41, Wilson fumbled while tackled by Chargers safety Alohi Gilman during a 6-yard gain. There was a scramble for the loose ball until Hill picked it up, changed direction and quickly sprinted to his right and up the sideline.
Hill became the only player in the Super Bowl era to score TDs via receiving, rushing, kick return, punt return and fumble return.
RECORD BOOK
Ekeler finished with eight receptions for 59 yards. His third catch moved him past Kansas City’s Kimble Anders (369) for the most by an undrafted running back in the common draft era. Ekeler now has 375 receptions in his six-year career.
INJURIES
Dolphins: Wilson suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter. Safety Eric Rowe had a hamstring injury in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: At Buffalo next Saturday night.
Chargers: Host Tennessee next Sunday.
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Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa shouldn’t hear about their teams pursuing other quarterbacks anymore.
The former Alabama teammates continued their MVP-caliber seasons with spectacular performances Sunday. They’ve silenced critics who questioned their ability to be franchise quarterbacks and are setting themselves up for huge contract extensions in the offseason.
Geno Smith is another QB who has proved people wrong this season. A full-time starter for the first time since 2014, the 32-year-old Smith has the surprising Seahawks (5-3) leading the NFC West.
Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 7-0 start following a 35-13 rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tagovailoa again rallied Miami from a double-digit, second-half deficit in a 31-27 victory over the Detroit Lions. The Dolphins (5-3) are undefeated in the five games Tagovailoa has finished. He missed 2 1/2 games with a concussion.
Hurts threw four touchdown passes of 25-plus yards against the Steelers, including three to A.J. Brown in the first half. He has 1,514 yards passing and 10 TDs with only two interceptions. Hurts also has run for 293 yards and three scores.
The biggest question mark surrounding the Eagles entering the season centered on Hurts. They made the playoffs last year mainly because they had the best rushing offense in the NFL with Hurts leading the way. They were blown out by the Buccaneers in a wild-card game and knew they needed to improve their passing attack to compete for a championship.
The team considered trading for a quarterback in an offseason that saw Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and several other big-name QBs switch uniforms. But Philly stuck with Hurts for another season and the third-year pro has been outstanding.
He still hasn’t even reached his potential.
“Jalen is the type of guy that’s going to continue to get better because of the type of person he is, the type of football IQ he has, the football character he has, the toughness he has, how much he loves football,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “I was always taught those are the types of guys that reach their ceiling. I don’t know if we know what his ceiling will be. I know this: He’s getting better every day and he’s committed to that. That’s a good thing for the rest of your team when your best players and captain is getting better every day.”
Hurts is also a bargain. A second-round pick in 2020 who replaced Carson Wentz as the starter late in that season, Hurts is making $1.6 million. A total of 53 QBs make more.
“He’s not focused on what his next contract might be or what we’re going to do in three weeks or what the outcome of this season is or anything like that,” Sirianni said.
Just don’t ask Hurts to talk about himself.
“People don’t see the work that’s put in, not just by me individually but. … by everybody,” Hurts said. “It takes work. It’s a grind. The beautiful thing about this team is that we’ve grinded together.”
Hurts led Alabama to the national championship game as a true freshman in 2016 only to lose to Clemson. He took them back to the national title game against Georgia the following season but was benched at halftime and watched Tagovailoa lead a comeback win. Hurts transferred to Oklahoma for his senior season and finished runnerup to Joe Burrow for the Heisman Trophy.
Now, he’s the man in Philly.
Tagovailoa left Alabama after suffering a serious hip injury during his junior season, was drafted by the Dolphins fifth overall in 2020 and went 13-8 in his first two seasons. Still, there’s been plenty of doubt about his future in Miami.
The Dolphins pursued Watson before the 2021 trade deadline and were penalized for tampering with Tom Brady after the season. Left with Tagovailoa, they surrounded him with more talent, acquiring star receiver Tyreek Hill in a blockbuster trade to team with Jaylen Waddle.
Hill has been dynamic, helping Tagovailoa take his game to another level. Despite battling injuries and a concussion, Tagovailoa has 1,678 yards passing, 12 TDs, only three picks and a passer rating of 112.7.
Tagovailoa was sensational against the Lions on Sunday, completing 29 of 36 for 382 yards and three TDs.
“That was a game that we all know he’s capable of,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “He was relentless during the game with worrying about the right stuff. I didn’t see him press and make forced decisions. He took what was there and protected the ball while being aggressive.”
Like Hurts, he’s not satisfied.
“The greatest thing about this game is that you can never get content,” Tagovailoa said. “You have to continue to keep growing. We’ll go and watch the film and look at things that we could’ve done better. So, that’s the best part about it.”
Smith tossed two TD passes and played another error-free game for Seattle in a 27-13 win over the New York Giants.
Playing for his fourth team, Smith was considered a placeholder for the rebuilding Seahawks until the team finds a franchise QB. So far, he’s outplayed the superstar he replaced — Wilson — and has resurrected his career after starting only five game in the previous six seasons.
Smith has thrown for 1,924 yards with a 72.3 completion percentage, 13 TDs and just three interceptions for a 107.2 passer rating.
“He’s the real deal,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “There’s no mystery he’s going to run out of gas or something. It’s not like that. He knows exactly what he’s doing and he shows you week in and week out, throw after throw after throw. There’s nothing for us to hold him but in the highest of expectations really. What a thrilling story for the kid. He just hung in there so tough and outlasted it, and now he’s enjoying all the fun of it. He did great.”
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs acquired New York Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney on Thursday for a pair of picks in next year’s draft, a person familiar with the terms of the trade told The Associated Press.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical, said the Giants will get the third-round pick that the Chiefs got as compensation for Ryan Poles becoming the general manager of the Chicago Bears along with a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft that will be hosted by Kansas City.
“We just thought it was for the best of the team,” Giants coach Brian Daboll told reporters Thursday.
Toney was drafted in the first round by the Giants last year and is under contract through the 2024 season with a fifth-year team option.
That makes the trade relatively low risk for the Chiefs, who still have eight selections in next year’s draft.
Toney only has two catches for no yards this season in part because of a right hamstring injury he sustained in training camp. He tweaked the injury in Week 2 against Carolina, then hurt his left hamstring in practice earlier this month.
The Chiefs are off this week, which could give Toney time enough to recover — and learn their playbook — before they begin the second half of the season against the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 6 at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Giants were eager to gain draft capital for Toney, who had been bypassed on the depth chart in New York, while the Chiefs were eager to gain a high-upside wide receiver signed for the next two years. Their top two wide receivers, Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster, are scheduled to become free agents after this season.
Toney has only appeared in 12 of a possible 24 games because of injuries and a bout with COVID-19. He has 41 catches for 420 yards, including a game against Dallas last year in which he caught 10 passes for 189 yards.
He was ejected from that game for throwing a punch late in a blowout loss to the Cowboys.
The Chiefs had been looking for help at wide receiver ahead of the Nov. 1 trade deadline. They had recently inquired about Elijah Moore, who had requested a trade from the Jets, and veterans Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
If he’s able to stay healthy, Toney could end up being a steal in Kansas City, where Patrick Mahomes has turned a series of lower-profile receivers into stars. And he would do it at a bargain price for the cap-strapped Chiefs, who would owe Toney just over $1.9 million guaranteed next season and $2.5 million in 2024 before the fifth-year option for 2025.
His skillset, which in some ways mimics the departed Tyreek Hill, also fits nicely in coach Andy Reid’s scheme. Toney has the speed to beat defenses deep, quickness enough to line up in the slot and can even work out of the backfield.
The Giants, who lost Sterling Shepard to a torn ACL against the Cowboys last month, plan to move forward with Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slaton, Marcus Johnson and Richie James as their primary wide receivers.
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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — On March 18, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas received a call from Tyreek Hill‘s agent, Drew Rosenhaus. The Kansas City Chiefs had granted Rosenhaus permission to shop the star wide receiver, and now he was reaching out to see if the Jets were interested.
They were. Very.
What unfolded was a five-day pursuit that included a compensation agreement with the Chiefs, an elaborate sales pitch to Hill’s camp and a contract proposal that would’ve made Hill the highest-paid player in franchise history — by far. The Jets knew he’d be a tough get, but their hopes increased to the point where they felt it was a down-to-the-wire decision for Hill.
On March 23, Rosenhaus phoned Douglas with the news that Hill was being traded to the Miami Dolphins, the team he chose over the Jets. Douglas & Co. were disappointed. In fact, they conducted an internal postmortem, retracing their steps to see if they could have done anything differently during the process.
“Sure, we would’ve loved to have had him here, but I think things happen for a reason,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Monday.
“It was a very realistic possibility,” Rosenhaus told ESPN of a deal to the Jets.
Hill, who tops the NFL with 477 receiving yards, leads the Dolphins (3-1) into MetLife Stadium Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) for a key AFC East battle against the Jets (2-2). The Jets’ leader in receiving yardage is rookie Garrett Wilson (255), who essentially became their fallback option after failed attempts to trade for Hill and the San Francisco 49ers‘ Deebo Samuel.
How did the trade proposal come together? Here’s how it unfolded and why the Jets’ bid fell short, according to sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
BEFORE FREE AGENCY, the Jets’ personnel department compiled a list of potential cap casualties leaguewide. Hill was on that list. Heading into the final year of his contract with the Chiefs, due to count $21 million on the cap, his future in Kansas City wasn’t certain. So the Jets pegged him as a player to watch, which allowed them to start their homework … just in case.
When the Jets got the initial call from Rosenhaus, they already had a full scouting report on Hill. They spent the next 48 hours on his personal background, checking into past off-the-field incidents. Comfortable with their findings, they got into intense contract negotiations with Rosenhaus once they worked out a compensation package with the Chiefs.
The Jets agreed to trade two second-round picks (Nos. 35 and 38 overall) and a third-rounder (No. 69) to the Chiefs for Hill and a third-rounder (No. 103). It would’ve been a lot to give up, but this proposal enabled them to retain both first-round selections.
Technically, the Jets and Dolphins weren’t allowed to negotiate with Rosenhaus until their proposed trade package was accepted by the Chiefs. Then it all hinged on a “yes” from Hill. He didn’t have a no-trade clause, but gained leverage once he had permission to negotiate a contract with other teams.
The Jets wanted to fly down to South Florida to meet Hill at his home for a face-to-face recruiting trip — or at least fly him to New Jersey — but those meetings never happened. They suggested a video call with some of the coaches, but Rosenhaus preferred to be the point man, relaying information to Hill. The Chiefs were sensitive to the idea of teams talking directly to Hill. The Jets, who have a good working relationship with Rosenhaus, didn’t make a stink.
For the most part, it was Douglas and Rosenhaus, one on one. David Socie, the Jets’ senior director of football administration, was involved in the actual contract negotiations.
The Jets’ sales pitch focused on their young, homegrown talent, and how Hill could’ve been the player who galvanized it all. They want to become a destination team, and their feeling at the time was that a player of Hill’s magnitude could’ve been the trend-setter. They made an “awesome presentation,” according to Rosenhaus.
Hill would’ve been their biggest wide receiver star since Keyshawn Johnson in 1999. Since then, they’ve had only one Pro Bowl season by a receiver — Brandon Marshall in 2015. Hill would’ve been big box office for a franchise searching for an identity.
“Tyreek was interested and heard a lot of good things about the coaching staff and the direction the team was heading,” Rosenhaus said. “… We really felt like — myself and Tyreek and his family — that New York would be a great fit for him. Obviously, they needed at the time another big playmaker and a signature player. He would’ve been the face of the franchise, which was appealing. So there were a lot of things that were exciting about it. Ultimately, what it boiled down to was a close call.”
Rosenhaus did his own homework, reaching out to Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios — a client — for intel on quarterback Zach Wilson. When a receiver picks a new team, the quality of the quarterback is important. Not as important as money, though, which typically drives the deal.
The Jets offered essentially the same deal that Hill signed with the Dolphins — a four-year, $120 million extension, a record for a receiver. It included $52.5 million in fully guaranteed money. The Jets were willing to go dollar for dollar with the Dolphins; they even offered a bigger Pro Bowl incentive than Miami. Rosenhaus characterized the Jets’ offer as “very competitive.”
In the end, the Dolphins closed the deal — one of the biggest in a wild NFL offseason. It cost them five draft picks — a 2022 first-round pick (No. 29), second-round pick (No. 50) and fourth-round pick, plus fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2023 draft. Coach Mike McDaniel hasn’t stopped gushing about Hill, saying the three-time All-Pro has capitalized on “an opportunity for him to take his game to another level in terms of leadership and tone-setting.”
“We knew it was going to be an uphill battle, but we wanted to make a really strong offer to try to convince the player and the agent that this was a good place to be,” Douglas said at the time, calling it a “unique opportunity” to acquire a premium player.
Rosenhaus negotiated with three teams — Dolphins, Jets and Chiefs. He revealed that Hill “gave serious consideration to going back to Kansas City.” They were talking to the Chiefs about an extension, but Davante Adams‘ new deal with the Las Vegas Raiders (five years, $140 million) altered the wide receiver landscape. In training camp, Chiefs GM Brett Veach reflected on the trade, calling it “one of those difficult decisions that is the right thing to do, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Meanwhile, Hill is loving life amid the palm trees and sunshine.
“It was very close to happening, but it was just those state taxes, man,” Hill told the South Florida media on Monday, explaining why he picked the Dolphins over the Jets. “I realized I had to make a grown-up decision, and here I am in a great city in Miami.”
Because Florida has no state income tax, Hill saved millions on his contract. The Jets would’ve had to pay him approximately $58.75 million in guarantees to match the Dolphins’ $52.5 million, according to Robert Raiola, the director of the sports and entertainment group at the New York-based accounting firm of PKF O’Connor Davies.
Money aside, Hill liked the idea of playing for the Dolphins because he has a home in South Florida and trains there in the offseason, according to Rosenhaus, who said it was “tough to beat that scenario.”
Still craving a playmaker, the Jets turned to the draft. That, too, made for some anxious moments.
Wilson was the No. 1 receiver on their board, slightly ahead of Drake London, and they were nervous about losing Wilson when the Seattle Seahawks were on the clock at No. 9. London already was gone — he went eighth to the Atlanta Falcons — and their intel told them the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints were looking to trade up. (This was before the Eagles’ traded for A.J. Brown.) The Jets, sitting at No. 10, almost swapped places with the Seahawks. They stood pat, a calculated risk that worked out because they got Wilson without having to surrender draft capital.
While the Jets’ front office considers Hill perhaps the most dangerous offensive playmaker in the league, it’s absolutely thrilled to have Wilson, 22, who is a lot younger and cheaper than the 28-year-old Hill.
Wilson had heard about the Jets’ interest in Samuel, which occurred close to the draft, but he didn’t know about the Hill dalliance until a reporter mentioned it last week.
“Hopefully, over these next few years, I can prove they did make the right decision,” Wilson told ESPN. “That comes with time. Those are proven vets that go in and out every week and do it. I hold myself to a high standard. I’m not going to say I feel like those dudes are better than me or vice versa. At the end of the day, I know what I bring to the table.”
Wilson is fast, but he’s not an extreme burner like Hill. Wilson’s super power, as the coaches like to call it, is an uncanny ability to use his lower-body strength to separate from defenders. Zach Wilson said, “He’s hard to throw the ball to sometimes because he’s faking me out” with his moves. Wilson is second on the team in receptions (20) and tied with Corey Davis in touchdown catches (two).
But he’s not the Cheetah.
“He’s a little bit different; he runs by everybody,” Garrett Wilson said of Hill. “That’s not me. I just can’t run by everybody. He’s a special talent.”
Hill might have been the most dynamic playmaker in Jets’ history, but the cost would’ve been steep. Had the trade gone through, they would’ve surrendered the picks that allowed them to select first-round defensive end Jermaine Johnson and second-round running back Breece Hall. Both rookies have played meaningful snaps — Hall 137, Johnson 80 — helping contribute to the 2-2 record, the team’s best start since 2017.
Hill’s contract also would’ve altered their entire salary structure. His cap charges from 2022 to 2026 are a combined $90.6 million, compared to only $20.6 million for Wilson — a tremendous amount of flexibility for the organization. Still, they were willing to take the plunge for Hill, in part, because they still have Zach Wilson on his rookie contract.
So everybody’s happy, right?
“I think it’s working out well for Miami, but they’re further along than the Jets in terms of their roster,” said a personnel executive not affiliated with either team. “The Jets are still in that rebuilding, ‘who are we?’ mode. They’re still formulating an identity with their personnel. I’m a big Tyreek Hill fan, but he wouldn’t have been the right fit for them.”
