Dolphins star Tyreek Hill detained by police on way to stadium for season opener

Dolphins star Tyreek Hill was pulled over and then released for a traffic violation while en route to the stadium in Miami for Sunday’s season opener.

A video posted on social media shows the 30-year-old handcuffed and lying face down next to his sports car. ESPN reported that Hill was initially pulled over for speeding, then got into an altercation with police. He was also reportedly cited for reckless driving.

The Dolphins announced that Hill would be available for the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which was scheduled to start just hours after the incident.

“This morning, Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic incident approximately one block from the stadium and briefly detained by police,” the Dolphins said in a statement. “He has since been released. Several teammates witnessed the incident and stopped to offer support. Tyreek and all other players involved arrived safely at the stadium and will be available for today’s game.”

Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was in the same car as his client and called the incident “a heartbreaking situation” and “completely unnecessary.”

“I love Tyreek. I hated seeing him in the situation he was in with the police … apparently he got a traffic ticket coming into the stadium,” Rosenhaus told ESPN.

“How things escalated to the situation they were in, handcuffed and held down on the ground by the police, is mind-boggling to me. I’m very concerned about that. Very concerned. We’re going to investigate. We’re going to investigate this. We’re going to keep an eye on Tyreek, but I’m not going to make any accusations at this point. The main thing is that Tyreek is physically okay, mentally he was very upset about what happened.”

Miami-Dade police later said they were investigating the incident.

“We are aware of the recent arrest of Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill by officers of the Miami-Dade Police Department,” the department’s director, Stephanie V Daniels, said in a statement. “I have requested an immediate review of all details surrounding the incident and we are also reviewing available body camera footage. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

Hill is one of the NFL’s top receivers, having been named to the Pro Bowl every season since entering the league in 2016. He led the league in receiving last season with a career-high 1,799 yards. He won the Super Bowl with his previous team, the Kansas City Chiefs, in February 2020. He was traded to the Dolphins in March 2022 and signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.

Sunday’s incident echoed a similar situation earlier this year, when world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested before the second round of the U.S. PGA Championship for a traffic incident. Charges against Scheffler were later dropped.