Tyreek Hill Explains Why He Feels He Doesn't Deserve to be Dolphins Team Captain

Tim Capurso | May 28, 2025

Hill feels he doesn't deserve to be a team captain based upon his past actions and behavior. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It's been a difficult past year for Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Hill's 2024 season, which was a step back in production after two straight All-Pro campaigns, ended in disappointing fashion after Hill made himself unavailable for the second half of the season-ending loss to the New York Jets in January, for all intents and purposes quitting on the team. Then, Hill created months of headlines and trade rumors when he appeared to indicate that his tenure with the Dolphins was over following the '24 season, the first time he's missed the postseason in his NFL career.

Off the field, police were called to his residence back in April after a domestic dispute with his wife, who has since filed for divorce. Charges were not filed against Hill related to the event. Hill spoke to reporters on Wednesday, the first day of Dolphins' OTAs, and expressed that he feels he needs to earn the trust of his teammates back. Hill, a team captain for the Dolphins in each of the last three years, stated that he feels he doesn't deserve the title this year.

Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill addressed his difficult offseason head-on and admits he doesn’t deserve to be voted a team captain based on his past actions and behavior. pic.twitter.com/umUbv0ehjO

— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) May 28, 2025

"I gotta prove myself," Hill said. "This OTAs, training camp, I gotta prove myself. I gotta show up different. The mindset gotta be different. I don't feel like I deserve it. And if I didn't get it, I wouldn't dwell on it. I wouldn't sweat it. Because I put myself in that position."

Hill is just two years removed from flirting with the NFL's single-season receiving yards record in 2023, in which he posted a career-best 1,799 yards receiving. Above all, a noticeably slimmer Hill explained that he wants his teammates to know he's still capable of producing at a high level and helping a team reach the playoffs.

Tyreek Hill says he out to prove to teammates he’s still “one of them ones” & someone they can depend on. He says divorce has been tough. He added church & therapy.

He says he’s worked on increasing endurance — weighs 183 pounds down 14 pounds back to comfortable playing weight. pic.twitter.com/zxkkoR68ic

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) May 28, 2025

"It was tough man—obviously emotions were high then," Hill said, referencing the season-ending loss. "But at the end of the day, I'm just looking to move forward from that. Hoping that I can prove myself and prove to my teammates that I'm still one of them ones, who's chasing 2K [2,000 receiving yards] still one of those ones chasing playoff dreams and all of that great stuff."

---

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

feed