Unless your office is located inside the Miami-Dade Police Department — where the offices will undoubtedly buzz this morning over a side storyline to emerge from the game — Tyreek Hill has been playing through a torn ligament in his wrist, a pre-existing injury he claims was worsened by a very public incident involving Miami-Dade police.
Tyreek Hill bodycam footage:
— Bobby Burack (@burackbobby_) September 9, 2024
Hill initiates the conflict my immediately accusing the cop of knocking on his window too hard.
He then rolls up the window when asked not to, and wouldn’t role it down.
This is more on Tyreek than the officers.
pic.twitter.com/a4M6JdbRCe
The Tyreek Wrist Injury Backstory
Looking back, we all should have known the Dolphins' 2024-25 season was doomed when its star player was put in handcuffs and tackled just steps from the stadium on Sunday, September 8, mere hours before the first regular-season game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.To recap, the incident between Hill and MPD unfolded before Week 1 when Hill was pulled over for speeding near Hard Rock Stadium on game day morning. The Dolphins star wideout was detained, handcuffed, and — as shown in body-cam footage — forcibly removed from his car and twice slammed to the ground by officers. Though Hill received traffic citations, he was not formally arrested.
The footage, which spread widely on social media, led to public scrutiny of the actions of one of the officers involved: 27-year veteran Miami-Dade police officer, DJ, and Gunfighters Motorcycle Club member Danny Torres. Said actions, Hill claims, further worsened torn ligaments in his wrist, an injury he'd suffered in training camp.
Since the encounter, Hill’s legal team has hinted at possible legal action, though no lawsuit has been filed. But from what Hill told ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters on Monday, that might be about to change.
Tyreek Hill told @saltersl that his left wrist had been bothering him since training camp and said that it became an issue when he was detained by police in September.
Hill said he has a torn ligament in the wrist but has been playing through it. pic.twitter.com/hc40VbeBcK
— ESPN (@espn) November 12, 2024
Will There Be Lawsuits?
The news about the reason behind Hill's flared-up wrist injury came out in full detail before the Rams-Dolphins matchup, as the ESPN crew chatted about Salter's pregame interview, in which the wide receiver cited a notable detail as to why he has popped up on the injury report more often as of late and why, prior to the evening's opening kickoff, he was super-questionable to play at all. Tyreek Hill told @saltersl that his left wrist had been bothering him since training camp and said that it became an issue when he was detained by police in September.
Hill said he has a torn ligament in the wrist but has been playing through it. pic.twitter.com/hc40VbeBcK
Spoiler alert: Getting tackled while in handcuffs apparently tends to be bad for torn ligaments in your wrist.
"It's something that he's been dealing with all season long," Salters said of Hill's wrist injury on Monday Night Countdown, adding that Hill said the altercation with police in early September caused further damage to his wrist. "He said that left wrist had been bothering him in training camp but really became an issue when he was arrested by police and taken to the ground before the first game of the season — we all remember seeing that video," Salters stated. "He said, 'That arrest messed me up.'"
Salters said he told her "That’s where the further damage was done," claiming the takedown exacerbated his preseason injury.
Uh-oh.
If there is one person in Miami you don't want to be blamed for injuring, it's a Dolphins player who makes $40 million a year amid what is shaping up to be a career-worst season. It doesn't take a documentary to piece together what is happening here: It sounds like Hill will be dividing his time between trainers and lawyers this offseason.
TYREEK HILL WITH HIS FIRST TD SINCE WEEK 1 🙌
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 12, 2024
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/ojSkaqY3P0
Playing Through the Pain
Despite the wrist injury, Hill played in the Dolphins' win over the Rams, catching three passes for 16 yards, including a crucial third-quarter touchdown — his first touchdown reception since that fateful opening day. It appears Hill will continue to tough it out until the Dolphins are out of the postseason picture, even as an MRI confirms the torn ligament.Hill admitted he was unsure of how to navigate the situation, given that he loves to play but is banged up. "I just really don't know what to do because I've never really been injured before," Hill told ESPN. "I'm going to keep playing. Nothing's going to stop me."
With the Dolphins sitting at 3-6 and headed into a winnable segment of their schedule, it's possible Hill has multiple games ahead of him. That's good news for Dolphins fans but for the Miami-Dade Police Department, not so much, if he keeps popping up on the injury report.
