Tyreek's Thoughts on Kansas City

In the aftermath of the Miami Dolphins' victory against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Tyreek Hill naturally was asked about the next opponents on the schedule.

It's Kansas City Chiefs week and Hill's first game against his former team will stand as likely the biggest storyline in the matchup between the two AFC powerhouses in Germany with a 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff Sunday.

"I’m looking forward to it," Hill said after the Dolphins' 31-17 victory against New England. "Obviously we’re playing against the Chiefs, so it’s going to be a fun game to see some old faces, and yeah, just get after it, talk trash to my old quarterback."

Hill's "old quarterback," of course is Patrick Mahomes and he played with him from 2017 until the Dolphins acquired him in a blockbuster trade in March 2022.

Overall, Hill spent six seasons with the Chiefs, earning Pro Bowl accolades in every one of them, a streak he continued with the Dolphins last season and is sure to continue in 2023 barring unforeseen circumstances in the second half of the season.

Hill, though, says he's a better player now than he was during his time with the Chiefs.

"I just know a whole lot more now," Hill said. "Obviously when you come into the league you’re trying to find where you fit and understand how the game is played, but now I’ve been able to learn from other veterans in the past locker room that I was in and apply it here. I know a whole lot more now, whether it’s doing stuff off the field or just being in the locker room with the guys, trying to be a leader in that aspect. I am light years ahead of where I was back then, and you know what, everything happens for a reason, so here I am today."

TYREEK HILL'S NEW LOOK

Hill finished with 112 receiving yards against New England, including a 42-yard touchdown, to set a new Super Bowl-era record for more receiving yards through the first eight games and maintain his pace to reach 2,000 receiving yards in a season, something that's never been done.

"Yeah, man, it feels great," he said. "God is great. I’ve been calling my shot since I came in the league. A lot of people doubted me saying I couldn’t do this and do that, but it’s all about believing in yourself. That’s the one thing my mom and dad always taught me. Here I am today. I’m very blessed, very thankful to be in this position and no greater day to do it. I have my kids here today, so no greater day to do it."

Hill finished with a career-high 1,710 yards last season and he's currently on pace for 2,154 yards. He's also on pace to break his single-season mark for targets, which he set last year.

The Chiefs traded Hill because of financial considerations because they simply couldn't afford him along with other high-priced players, such as defensive lineman Chris Jones.

Given the Chiefs' wide receiver issues, which surfaced again in their 21-9 upset loss against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, one can't help but wonder whether Kansas City would make the same trade again.

But that's in the past, Hill is in Miami, though he's still fond of his time in Kansas City.

"I’m ready, man," Hill said. "It’s just another game. I’m just excited to play against my old brothers. It’s just like if you’re in high school and you move to a different city, it’s still ball. At the end of the day, my job is to go out there and do what I’ve been doing all year, and that’s have fun, help lead this team, and create opportunities for whoever. I’m still going to be the same old Cheetah, baby."

Of course, this matchup could have been even more memorable had the game been scheduled for Arrowhead Stadium — maybe as the kickoff game to the season — instead of being selected for the first-ever game in Frankfurt.

"I was kind of pissed about it, man, because obviously I’ve got so many friends, I’ve got family there," Hill said. "One of my sons is there. Just the energy, man, feeling that energy in Arrowhead would have been next level, but obviously I understand that the NFL, they want to be more global and they want to send two of the best offenses over there, two MVP quarterbacks, dynamic offenses, and it’s going to be a good game. It’s really good promotion for them. But going back to Arrowhead, it would have been sensational."

Somehow though, based on what he's done so far this season, we get the feeling that Hill just might make it "sensational" in Germany.