Miami Dolphins’ star Tyreek Hill addressed his pre-game detainment by Miami-Dade police after Sunday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, suggesting that the officers may have been “bad apples” while hoping to turn the shocking incident into a “positive” for the community.
Hill was pulled over outside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami as he made his way to the game. He was placed on the ground and handcuffed by officers before being released, making it to Sunday’s matchup on time while notching one touchdown, seven receptions, and 130 receiving yards.
The Dolphins ultimately bested the Jaguars 20-17.
ADVERTISEMENT
Spectators caught at least part of Hill’s detainment on video, which quickly went viral.
He addressed the incident during his postgame interview.
“Obviously, everybody has bad apples in every situation,” Hill told the press. “I want to be able to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on both ends on my end and also Miami-Dade so that way we can team together and do something positive for the community because that’s what it’s all about.”
“You guys are here to protect us as individuals, and I have a platform, and I want to be able to team up with you guy, so that’s all I’ve got to say,” Hill continued.
Hill, a wide receiver, also acknowledged the ordeal while celebrating an 80-yard touchdown in the third-quarter.
Hill put his hands behind his back to mimic being handcuffed, while his teammate, Jaylen Waddle, played the part of the police officer.
When asked after the game why he thought the police handcuffed him, Hill told reporters he had “no clue.”
“I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way,” he added.
Following the game, Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell revealed that he had also been detained and handcuffed by the officers while he attempted to approach Hill at the scene and de-escalate the situation.
“I didn’t understand what the issue was,” Campbell told NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe in a post-game interview. “For him to put handcuffs on me, I felt some type of way. But that just goes to show how resilient we are. We didn’t let that stop us.”
Since the incident unfolded, one officer involved has been put on administrative leave pending an investigation.
“That should tell you everything you need to know then,” Hill said in regard to the officer. He went on to thank his teammates for being there when it occurred.
“I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do,” Hill said later. What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what that guy or guys would’ve did.”
In addition to speaking with the media, Hill sent out a couple of pointed X messages after the game.
“When you him nothing can stop you,” Hill wrote. “Know that,” he added in a follow-up message.
Prior to Hill’s comments, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN Hill was “distraught” and called the detainment “heartbreaking.”
