MIAMI GARDENS — His voice cracking throughout, Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel met with reporters Monday and spent nearly the entirety of his 27-minute news conference wrestling with emotions following the detainment of receiver Tyreek Hill en route to Sunday’s season-opener.
Hill was handcuffed by Metro-Dade Police over a traffic incident and forced to the ground, face down, outside the parking area to Hard Rock Stadium. When teammate Calais Campbell tried to intervene, he too was handcuffed. Two other teammates — Jonnu Smith and Odell Beckham Jr. — also tried to intervene to varying degrees.
All were eventually permitted to join teammates inside the home locker room, with Hill going on to play a key role in the Dolphins’ 20-17 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
One day later, McDaniel could not hide his emotions.
“I think the thing that (bleeps) me up, honestly, to be frank, is knowing that I don’t know exactly what that feels like,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel passionately described his gratitude that teammates rushed to Hill’s side and that the team came together to win on the final play. He was clearly shaken picturing handcuffs on Campbell, one of the most-respected veterans in the game, a former Miami Hurricane and the 2019 winner of the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for community service.
“Just a miraculous man that has done right in all shapes and forms,” McDaniel said. “There’s just elements to that that’s very triggering.”
Hill caught seven passes for 130 yards and an 80-yard touchdown in the victory. After the game, Dolphins safety Jevon Holland called the treatment of Hill “excessive force on a Black man, that’s not uncommon.”
Mike McDaniel: I don't have history of being profiled
McDaniel stressed he wanted to reserve judgment until all facts are known. He is biracial, which isn’t apparent because of his light complexion.
“I guess my journey has left me aware, but at the same time, there’s a huge level I don’t know because I’m not, you know, simply by my appearance I don’t have a history of, like, feeling profiled.”
Nonetheless, he added that his reaction to the incident is “probably more visceral because I, yes, I do spend a lot of time prioritizing empathy.”
Players who arrived at the stadium before Hill said they were alerted to the situation via their phones.
“There were some key players that are leaders of this team that I think did a great job of communicating to other players via word of mouth,” McDaniel said. “ … But then, the second they (Hill, Campbell and others) got in the locker room, to have numerous people come physically to them to greet them and support them — that’s how it was handled. You want to make sure your guy is OK. And in that process you want to make sure that they do not feel alone.”
Police are investigating, commit to transparency
Metro-Dade Police released body-cam video of the incident on Monday night. Stephanie V. Daniels, director of the department, said in a statement she is “committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers.” The department placed the officer involved on administrative duties and launched an internal affairs investigation.
“I think that you let the process take its time,” McDaniel said. “ … I think for anyone to have an opinion, if there are facts, they should have facts before they have an opinion.”
He added, “I am confident that this is too much in the spotlight to just sweep under the rug.”
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com . Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins' Mike McDaniel wrestles with emotions over Tyreek Hill incident
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