Hill, who has always been a fiery player, found himself in unfamiliar territory during his ninth NFL season.
The frustrations came to a head with missing the playoffs officially, Hill’s first time failing to qualify for postseason play in his career, but there was a monthslong culmination of trying football.
Along with the missed postseason, 2024 marked Hill’s first season without a Pro Bowl bid. He likewise fell short of a third consecutive All-Pro campaign since joining the Dolphins.
After leading the league with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns while hauling in 119 catches to tie his career high a season prior, Hill managed 81 catches for 959 yards in the most recent campaign, snapping a three-year streak of amassing 100-plus catches and four-year run of totaling 1,000-plus yards. His six touchdowns tied a career low, and his 11.8 yards per reception was lower than only 2021 and his contribution as a rookie.
He dealt with a wrist injury that necessitated consideration of surgery, something he passed on, and he never looked fully in sync on anything other than underneath routes with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who missed Weeks 3-7 with a concussion and the team’s final two games due to a hip injury.
The Dolphins could not withstand such setbacks and finished 8-9, their first losing season since 2019.
His remarks came in the direct aftermath of such buildup and disappointment, as even going into the final game Miami had an outside chance at the AFC’s No. 7 seed. The Dolphins instead lost, and he sent shockwaves through South Beach by saying, “I’m opening the door. I’m out.”
With Hill maintaining his right to be upset in the moment, his subsequent meeting with the team and Rosenhaus’ comments on commitment — not to mention another two years remaining on his contract — suggest cooler heads can prevail.
Regardless, there’s a long way to go until Week 1 of next season rolls around. Hill’s future, as well as what the Dolphins do to get back in contention, will remain on the radar.