Tyreek's Tweet: Tone-Deaf Trolling or Harmless Fun?

The Miami Dolphins created a stir on social media like he's become an expert at doing

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) celebrates after defeating the New York Jets during overtime at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

So Tyreek Hill says his cryptic social media post Wednesday was much ado about nothing, but it does bring up questions.

Like, is there anything wrong with Hill is having some harmless fun with a cryptic message that can be and will be interpreted different ways until he's asked directly by reporters and he clears it up, as he did Thursday?

Like, is it a bit tone-deaf to intentionally post messages he knows will provoke a reaction just to have some fun with fans, many of whom are either frustrated, angry, depressed or all three over a Dolphins season gone awry?

Is the answer somewhere in the middle?

First, let's recap for those who might have missed Hill tweeting Wednesday: "it's time for me to go coach."

After the tweet got 7.8 million views — yes, 7.8 million views — and 2,100 replies, Hill followed up with "Tweet blew up more than I expected," followed by another gem.

Got yall exactly how I want 😈

— Ty Hill (@cheetah) December 18, 2024

Remember, Hill's Twitter handle used to describe him as somebody who likes to stir things up.

And that's just what he did with the "time to go coach," which he explained Thursday was merely a commentary on former NFL players Deion Sanders, Teddy Bridgewater and now Michael Vick getting into coaching.

THE RIGHT MOVE FOR HILL

While Hill played innocent on social media Wednesday and reporters Thursday, he cleared what he was doing because it would have been very simple to not leave any ambiguity about his message had he simply made it, "time to go be a coach" or something to that effect.

But that obviously wouldn't have gotten nearly as much attention or created the same kind of stir.

And that's something Hill clearly enjoyed ... if that already wasn't completely obvious.

Hill said Thursday he simply likes to relax and have fun when he goes home after a day at the Baptist Health Training Complex, and nobody should have an issue with that (if you think all players should sulk after losses, I recommend the movie "Fever Pitch."

But Hill also has to understand that trolling probably has a time and place, or at least better times and places. And with the Dolphins at 6-8 and needing all sorts of help to even have a chance at making the place, this probably ain't it.

This isn't a new issue for Hill and it doesn't have anything to do with the seriousness with which he takes his job because there has never been any indication whatsoever that he doesn't do everything necessary to put himself in the best position to succeed.

But it's also true that the results simply haven't been there for not only the Dolphins but Hill this season.

In fact, he's on track to have the worst statistical season of his career, except for one season when he was limited to 12 games and his rookie season when he started only one game. Oh, and it comes after the Dolphins restructured Hill's contract this summer to guaranteed him more money.

So, yeah, maybe this isn't the right time to be having fun, in part of Dolphins fans' expense.

It's harmless fun, really, but it's also a tad unnecessary.