OPINION | It’s time for the Dolphins and Tyreek Hill to go their separate ways

The Tyreek Hill experience in Miami was fun to watch, but after a Week 18 meltdown, I think it’s time for the Dolphins and The Cheetah to divorce. Permanently.

I still remember where I was when the Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill.

Jake and I were doing a podcast, and what went from a hypothetical trade scenario to an AFC EAST team quickly became ‘holy sh*t, this dude is going to be a Dolphin’ in a matter of minutes. It felt like a fever dream.

The fastest player in the entire league is going to be a Dolphin.

Then the trade happened, and Hill proved he was more than just a Patrick Mahomes merchant, while Mahomes proved the same. In Miami, Hill almost broke Megatron’s record of 1,964 yards set in 2012, and the Dolphins were in the playoffs for back-to-back seasons. Life was as good as ever if you’re a Dolphins fan.

Then the wheels fell off.

And as the wheels were falling off, Hill showed who he really was. A ticking time bomb getting paid a plethora of money to *check notes*: take himself out of the most meaningful game of the year. (Yes, I know the Broncos made it meaningless, but still, unacceptable.)

We understand the frustration… maybe not to the same extent (I’m not putting my body on the line), but I’m emotionally invested. And to see players grit through a wrist injury or other potentially season-ending injuries — to play every game — while the QB isn’t allowed/able to suit up in the most critical part of the season — yeah, I would be pissed too.

And yet, the ‘I’m out’ tantrum, coupled with the quitting on the team, makes me feel that this can’t be fixed.

Maybe it’s because I’m much older (and wiser!) than I was many years ago. Players say things that bother me, and I can’t let go. But it’s not about whether I can get over it… can guys like Zach Sieler and Terron Armstead move past it? Was his public apology to Tua Tagovailoa and the rest of the team anything more than show? Can Mike McDaniel keep the ship afloat with Hill in the locker room?

I don’t have those answers. And if you’re a team like the Dolphins with a head coach and general manager hanging on by a thread, do you really get rid of your best player? (De’Von Achane may be the best player, to be honest.) Is that really what’s best for the team?

Most importantly, what might you get in return?

What could the Dolphins get in a trade for Tyreek Hill?

The Dolphins probably won’t get a lot in return for Hill. After all, the compensation of the last wide receiver trades are as follows:

• Buffalo Bills trade Stefon Diggs and a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder to the Houston Texans for a 2025 second-round draft pick
• Cleveland Browns trade Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills for a 2025 third-round pick, a 2025 sixth-round pick, and a 2026 seventh-rounder.
• Pittsburgh Steelers trade a 2025 fifth-round pick to the New York Jets for Mike Williams.
• New York Jets traded a 2025 conditional third-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for DaVante Adams, which is much less than what the Raiders paid initially:::

• Las Vegas Raiders send the Green Bay Packers a 2022 first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick in exchange for WR DaVante Adams.
• And let’s not forget the Miami Dolphins trade for Tyreek Hill, which included a 2022 first-round pick (29th overall), a 2024 second-round pick (50th overall), and a fourth-round pick (121 overall). Miami also gave up a fourth- and sixth-round pick in 2023.

Looking at the previous trades and Hill’s recent comments, I believe the Dolphins will be lucky to get a compensatory third for Tyreek Hill.

“I’m opening the door. I’m out bro…It was great playing here (in Miami), but at the end of the day, I got to do what’s best for my career. – Tyreek Hill ”

Hill shrinks when the Dolphins need him most.

One other thing that needs to be looked at is Hill’s effort. During his first two seasons in Miami — while trying to chase 2,000 yards — he looked like an entirely different player. Hell, it looked like an entirely different offense out there. But what happened last season when he came out immediately and said it wasn’t his goal to achieve 2k? He didn’t even scratch 1,000 yards receiving. One year after being named the No.1 player in the NFL by his peers, Hill turned into Ted Ginn Jr.

His play in some of Miami’s most significant games has also hurt the team. Period. He wasn’t having career games or throwing up the deuces while taking down some of the NFL’s finest while in Miami… instead, he disappeared — or worse, he dropped critical passes in key moments.

That’s not all Hill’s fault. But when you have a guy getting paid big money, you need him to show up in big games. Instead, he’s more focused on racing Noah Lyles or messing around with only fan models. #Shame.

In the end, Tyreek Hill is exactly who we thought he was. And when you take away the flashy plays and still don’t have a playoff win, the question needs to be asked: Are the Dolphins really better off with The Cheetah on the roster? The same player who quit on his team and cried, “I’m out,” at the end of a Week 18 LOSS to the New York Jets? Or would they be better off removing the cancer before it’s too little, too late?

* throws up peace sign *

What are your thoughts on Tyreek Hill? Do you think the Dolphins should move on from him this offseason? What teams do you think would be interested in the 31-year-old speedster? Let us know in the comments section below!