"Really goes to show how valuable I am to them" - Tyreek Hill reveals real reason for leaving Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs
Tyreek Hill has been a revelation in Miami.
The speedy wide receiver joined the Dolphins in a blockbuster during the 2022 offseason that saw the Kansas City Chiefs receive five draft picks. Hill then signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the team and became the highest-paid wide receiver in the league.
Tyreek Hill, oh my god. Something new every week in this league. https://t.co/2MBleHQUGF
Through Week 14, Hill leads the league in receptions with 100 and has 1460 receiving yards, bettered only by the Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, the league's most prolific wide receiver with 1500 receiving yards.
Hill's departure from the Chiefs was a surprise. The wide receiver established himself as quarterback Patrick Mahomes' go-to target alongside tight end Travis Kelce. Together, the trio made it two Super Bowls, winning one, and two AFC Championship games.
During an appearance on NFL Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe's podcast Club Shay Chay, the wide receiver finally opened up about what led to his departure from the Chiefs. He explained:
"I'm the type of guy, like, I love playing ball and I love being by the team because football is a team sport. And it will be some games where, like, I get two targets, I get three targets and we'll go into meetings in. My coach would be like, 'Hey, we got to get you involved. We got to get you involved.' And I'm like, 'Exactly!'"
.@Cheetah wanted to stay in Kansas City with Mahomes & Kelce but explains why he was ready to leave the Chiefs:
“There would be games where I’d get 2-3 targets...I didn’t feel valuable. I had to get out of there.” https://t.co/tsKZRsFzFR
Hill revealed that money also became a factor in his decision to move on from Kansas City. He said:
"I talked to coach Andy Reid and I'm like, 'Coach, I don't even need to be the highest-paid receiver. I just want to be taken care of and I want to stay with [Travis] Kelce. I want to stay with Pat [Mahomes], I want to stay with my brother. Just take care of your boy man. Just make me 25 Ms (an offer of $25 million a year). Match me with AJ Brown and I'm cool with that."
On Day 1 of the 2022 NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans traded AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, who then handed the wide receiver a four-year, $100 million extension.
Tyreek Hill's contract situation led to WR's departure from the Chiefs
Per Tyreek Hill, the Kansas City Chiefs did offer him a $25 million per season deal, but most of it was incentive-based and not guaranteed. The wide receiver was willing to sign the contract, but agent Drew Rosenhaus convinced him that there would be better offers from other teams to consider. Hill claims he also spoke to Patrick Mahomes about his contract situation and the quarterback responded that the team must re-sign the wide receiver to a big extension.
However, when the Dolphins offered a four-year, $120 million extension with $72 million guaranteed, Hill couldn't pass up the chance to secure his future. But the wide receiver did give the Chiefs the opportunity to match the Dolphins' offer and the team turned it down. Hill revealed:
"We actually told Kansas City what Miami offered and Kansas City was like, 'Nah we just gonna trade you.' So then I was like, 'Okay, that really goes to show how valuable I am to them, right? You know what I'm saying? Opposing to how valuable I could be to Miami. So I just signed a deal. Let's get it done. And then we just go make some statement, right? So here I am today."
Hill claims he has no hard feelings toward the Chiefs and still has a lot of love for Mahomes, Travis Kelce, offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, and the rest of the team. But he added that if the Dolphins faced the Chiefs in the playoffs, his only goal would be to beat his former side.