The Tua and ‘Cheetah’ connection was in full effect.
It came down to the wire whether Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill would be available against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. Not only was he on the field, he found pay dirt. Hill snapped the longest touchdown drought of his nine-year NFL career in Miami’s 23-15 win.
Known for his speed and explosive gains, Hill got into the end zone on a 1-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa in the third quarter to put the Dolphins (3-6) up by 11, 17-6. Hill had gone seven long games without scoring after catching a touchdown in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he also had a season-high 130 yards on seven catches.
“I didn’t know that, which is crazy, man,” Hill said. “Yeah, it’s a blessing to be back in the end zone. Man, I’m grateful to be a part of this team. However, I can help this team, I’m all for winning. It don’t matter about me scoring, man. It’s about winning. It’s the importance of being able to do something special amongst these guys.”
Hill had been questionable because of a torn ligament in his wrist which has been bothering him since training camp. He missed two days of practice last week, and Tagovailoa said the team did not know whether Hill could play until Sunday night.
Fellow receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was making a return to the place where he won a Super Bowl back in 2021, was confident Hill would be there in this must win game to save their season.
“I mean, I don’t feel like he wasn’t gonna play, injury or not,” Beckham said. “Nah. There’s no way he wasn’t gonna play on ‘Monday Night Football’ when we’re in a must-win situation. So just for him to be able to do that, score, he knows how much he means to this team, so we appreciate him.”
Embed from Getty ImagesHill finished with three receptions for 16 yards. It was his second lowest output as a pass catcher this season, after managing one grab for 8 yards on the road against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7. Hill added 11 yards rushing on two carries.
That stat line did not do anything to help what is on pace to be Hill’s least productive season since his rookie campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016 when he was mostly used on special teams. He now has 37 receptions for 462 yards and two scores, a steep decline after compiling at least 1,700 yards in each of his first two seasons with his hometown team, Miami. He previously spent six seasons with the Chiefs.
The 30-year-old Hill has had at least 1,200 yards receiving in each of the previous four seasons. He led the NFL with 1,799 yards and 13 touchdown catches in 2023 and agreed in August to a restructured deal with more guaranteed money.
Much of this season’s slide can be attributed to an extended absence for Tagovailoa because of a concussion suffered in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. But Tagovailoa said there was no pressure from either Hill or Jaylen Waddle to try and make up those numbers since he returned against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8, especially against a Rams’ defense that mostly played conservative pass coverages.
“Coming into this game, they could have easily said, like, ‘Dude, just continue to throw the ball, even if they’re in a two-high shell,” Tagovailoa said. “But those guys are in it, man. They’re just in it to win it.”
The Dolphins host Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
The Rams travel to New England to face Drake Maye and the Patriots on Sunday.
