Hill Overcomes Pregame Incident to Do What He Does Best

How Hill shook off pregame detainment and sparked the Dolphins' comeback win with an 80-yard touchdown.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass for an 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter as Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco (5) follows on the play at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Tyreek Hill's Sunday didn't go as planned, but the Miami Dolphins' star receiver still managed to put on a game-changing performance.

On Sunday, on his way to Hard Rock Stadium for Miami's season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami-Dade police confirmed Hill was briefly detained by their officers for what they initially called a "reckless driving" incident.

"I'm still trying to put it all together," Hill said after the game. "I wasn't disrespectful because my mom didn't raise me like that. I felt like I was alone, but I'm glad to see my teammates at the end putting their life on the line."

The incident, captured on video and quickly shared across social media, could have rattled most players — but not Hill on this Sunday.

Despite the disruption, Hill proved to be a key figure in Miami's 20-17 comeback win, catching an 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter that swung momentum in favor of the Dolphins.

"I still have a job to do and bounce through adversity," Hill said. "If I come in there and drop three passes because I'm thinking about the situation, I'm letting my team down. I had to hold myself accountable and find a way to bounce back."

Officers briefly handcuffed the All-Pro receiver as he lay on the ground before releasing him.

After footage of the incident spread online, the Miami-Dade Police Department announced it would review the situation and confirmed the officer involved had been placed on administrative duties.

Chaotic Start, Explosive Finish

While the off-field distraction could have derailed Hill's focus, he remained locked in.

After a sluggish start, the Dolphins were down 17-7 at halftime. A crucial defensive play by safety Javon Holland changed the game's trajectory in the third quarter.

Holland punched the ball out of Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.'s hands near the goal line, and cornerback Kader Kohou recovered it in the end zone to prevent a potential touchdown.

On the very next play, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa faked a handoff to Raheem Mostert and scanned the field. Looking for Jaylen Waddle on a slant route, Tagovailoa saw that option was covered. Meanwhile, Hill broke free from defenders Andre Cisco and Ronald Darby. Tagovailoa launched the ball deep and found Hill, who sprinted the final 54 yards to the end zone for an 80-yard score to cut Jacksonville's lead to 17-14.

The touchdown was Hill's 10th reception of at least 50 yards since 2022, the most in the NFL over that span.

Hill finished with seven catches for 130 yards, leading all Dolphins receivers.

Dolphins Show Resiliency In Win

Hill's post-touchdown celebration provided a lighthearted nod to his earlier detainment. After reaching the end zone, Hill mimicked being handcuffed, with teammate Waddle playing along by "detaining" him before they returned to the Dolphins' sideline.

This photo of Tyreek Hill's TD celebration 💀 pic.twitter.com/pxgU1EwcN2

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 8, 2024

"It was a planned celebration," Hill grinned after the game. "I wanted it to say 'Free My Dawg Reek.'"

The Dolphins' defense stepped up late in the game, holding Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence to 162 passing yards and a touchdown. With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Miami marched down the field, setting up a game-winning 52-yard field goal by Jason Sanders as time expired.

"It was a chaotic day, but I'm proud of how we bounced back," Hill said. "This is a great group of guys who fight for each other, and today showed that."

The victory marked Miami's fourth straight season-opening win and gave the Dolphins a 1-0 start to the season. After the game, Hill praised his teammates, especially Tagovailoa, for their leadership and resilience.

"I'm proud of my teammates and Tua," Hill said. "He was using his Hawaiian accent, calling out plays and keeping everyone together. That attitude and leadership is what we need."