Rewind to January and you would be hard-pressed to find a member of the Miami Dolphins who thought Tyreek Hill would still be in South Florida at this point.

Yet that is certainly the case as the star receiver prepares for his fourth season as a Dolphin. There are still a few hurdles ahead of him — namely recovery from wrist surgery to repair an injury that hampered him in 2024 — but signs point to the eight-time Pro Bowler being here at the start of the season.

Advertisement

“He’s got energy every day,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith said Wednesday, calling Hill “motivated.” “He’s working through his process. He’s been great so far through the offseason.”

Although Smith was unsure of Hill’s recovery timeline, the very idea that the wideout wants to remain in South Florida is a good sign for the Dolphins offense. The Dolphins are undoubtedly a much better team with him on the field as evinced by the record-setting 2023 season. He’s even begun to engender himself to his new receivers coach Robert Prince.

“Tyreek’s been great,” Prince said Wednesday, adding that Hill even treated the receiver room to dinner. “If I text him, he texts me back. If I call him, he calls me back. He says I’m going to be here, he’s been here. And it’s been great. I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Tyreek, and he’s a great leader in the room.”

This comes nearly six months after the Hill prematurely subbed himself out of the Dolphins’ season finale against the New York Jets. In the locker room following the 32-20 loss, Hill made it clear that he wanted a change of scenery.

Advertisement

“There are a lot of things I need to reassess about my career,” Hill said Jan. 5, later adding that he has “got to do what’s best for me and my family, whether that’s here or wherever the case may be. I’m opening the door. I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for my career. I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.”

While Hill, 31, has since walked those comments back, he still likely had to regain his teammates’ trust. Keep in mind: he essentially quit at the end of the game and then said he doesn’t want to be here. Apologies were needed and apparently, Hill has done just that.

“He’s been working and doing all the things to show his teammates that this is where he wants to be,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said April 15. “As I told you when we met with him after the season, he wanted to be here. There was no indication [otherwise]. In terms of when he’s in the building doing everything, he’s been great. Things happen with players.”

Hill should be extra motivated following a disappointing 2024 season. For the first time since 2019, the All-Pro wideout didn’t crack thee 1,000-yard mark. Context, however, is important here: not only did Hill have to deal with a fractured wrist since the preseason, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed six games, the most since the receiver joined the team in 2022.

Advertisement

That said, Hill’s health will be certainly something to monitor as organized team activities (OTAs) get underway in the coming weeks. The good news, however, is that appears ready to don the aqua and orange in 2025.

“Everyone is collectively trying to use the way last season went as our motivation to make sure we maximize each day,” Smith said. “You don’t look forward, you don’t look to the past; just say, what do I need to get done right now, and I think Tyreek and all of the guys are really embracing that.”