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Hill Takes 'Full Accountability' for Postgame Rant

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill confirmed his desire to stay with the team

Alain Poupart

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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As we suspected all along, Tyreek Hill was talking out of frustration when he made his infamous “I’m out comments” after the Miami Dolphins’ season finale, but the wide receiver for the first time has publicly expressed regret for his rant.

"I could have handled the situation better by instead of saying, I'm out, I could have obviously handled it better,” Hill said during an appearance on the Up & Adams podcast with Kay Adams. “And I wish I did, but in the heat of the moment I just said whatever I had to say. And I'm taking full accountability of that because I want to win. I'm saying we want to win, and I'm sure the fans want to win, but a lot of things, I feel like a lot of things needed to be said sometimes, man. So it's tough right now."

Hill also made clear that he wanted to return to the team for a fourth season in 2025, despite his infamous “I’m out” rant that followed the Dolphins’ season finale against the New York Jets and elimination from the playoffs.

"I don't want to go nowhere,” Hill told Adams. “I love it. My family loves it. Kids absolutely love being on the beach every morning. So it's an amazing thing, man. We are really building something special in Miami. We made it to the playoffs the first two years. Obviously this year was hard, but if guys continue to buy into what coaches are building and the culture that he's trying to build, it's going to be a beautiful thing."

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TYREEK HILL SAYS HE WANTS TO SHOW HIS TEAMMATES

Hill’s comments came the day after teammate Terron Armstead criticized him for his outburst and suggested he had some mending to do with his teammates.

"Well, for me, I love to show guys my hard work and my appreciation to them by just going to practice every day, busting my tail, showing up to meetings on time, just doing everything the right way, the exact way a pro is supposed to be,” Hill said. “Doing the stuff where a No. 1 player is supposed to be, which is being on time, being very coachable, being very attentive in meetings and stuff like that. So I think that's the biggest thing I can offer to my teammates, and just being that kind of leader, like what I've been my whole career.

“So this year, man, I'm holding myself to that kind of standard. So I want to be the best, and that's kind of what has helped me stay in this league and be successful in this league, like, just by doing the right things. So I want to continue doing that. I don't want to fall off like who I am or like who my parents raised me to be, like I want to continue to be that guy."

Of course, a wise guy might counter Hill’s comments about holding himself to a high standard “this year” by wondering whether that means he didn’t do it last year. It also was interesting to see Hill make it a point to mention to being to meetings on time, in light of head coach Mike McDaniel’s comments after the season that he had to fine players repeatedly for off-the-field issues.

Hill said everything happened because of frustration, with Hill failed to make the playoffs for the first time in his nine-year NFL career and also failing to reach 1,000 yards for the first time in a full season since his rookie year of 2016.

After he told Adams he was issuing a public apology to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Hill was asked whether he wanted to say he was sorry to the entire team.

“Oh God, yeah,” Hill said. “But, I mean, they already know that, though. They know I'm not that kind of player, though. A lot of people may say, ‘Oh ’Reek is a hot head, he's this, he's that, but all my teammates know. Like I come to work every day, I bust my tail, I show up to meetings on time,. and I do what I gotta do.”

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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