Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill scores TD in opener vs. Jaguars after being detained by police outside stadium

MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was briefly detained by police officers outside Hard Rock Stadium ahead of the team’s season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

He was detained for a traffic violation entering the stadium, according to him and his agent Drew Rosenhaus, but played in Sunday’s 20-17 win .

Social media video outside the stadium showed Hill handcuffed by officers outside his vehicle Sunday morning ahead of the Week 1 game.

One video showed him pinned against the street by an officer.

Once the game was played, Hill had an 80-yard touchdown that sparked a Dolphins comeback from down by as many 10 points. Hill finished with seven receptions for 130 yards.

“When all this happened, I was turned up. I was pissed off,” Hill said, highlighting how he blocked opposing defenders with extra force Sunday against the Jaguars. “I was fired up (Sunday).”

In celebration of the touchdown, Hill placed his hands behind his back, as if he was handcuffed. Fellow wide receiver Jaylen Waddle assisted in the display by acting as an officer handcuffing Hill.

After being released by police and playing in the Dolphins’ home opener, he reacted to the incident and posed the question: “What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?”

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He continued: “I want to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive, on both ends — on my end and Miami-Dade. So that way, we can do something positive for the community.”

The Dolphins released a statement on the incident ahead of kickoff: “This morning, WR Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic incident about one block from the stadium and briefly detained by police. He has since been released. Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support. Tyreek and all other players involved have safely arrived to the stadium and will be available for today’s game.”

Defensive tackle Calais Campbell and tight end Jonnu Smith were among players present to check on Hill at the moment he was detained. Dolphins director of team security Drew Brooks and senior vice president of football and business administration Brandon Shore were also there to offer support.

Campbell was also detained by police Sunday as he was attempting to deescalate the situation between Hill and the police officers.

“It was very strange, definitely unnecessary,” said Campbell, who said he was told he was detained for disobeying direct orders from the officers. “I don’t know why they felt they needed to put me in handcuffs, but it is what it is.”

Campbell had a sack and another tackle for loss on Miami’s first two defensive plays Sunday.

The Miami-Dade Police Department director, Stephanie V. Daniels, released a statement Sunday afternoon: “We are aware of the recent detainment of Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill by Miami-Dade Police Department officers. 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 further information becomes available.”

Later, the department followed up with another statement saying one of the officers involved was placed on administrative duties.

Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava released a statement on Hill’s detainment, that read in part: “In recent years, our nation has confronted important conversations on the use of force, and the internal review process will answer questions about why the troubling actions shown in public video footage were taken by the officer.”

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he didn’t have all the details on the matter but liked how much the support system within the team showed for Hill. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was among those to express support for his teammate.

Rosenhaus did a series of interviews Sunday morning, expressing concern for the way his client was treated.

“He got a ticket for a moving violation entering the stadium. How things escalated into the situation that they were in, in handcuffs and being held to the ground by police is mind-boggling to me,” Rosenhaus told ESPN’s pregame programming Sunday morning: “It was completely unnecessary. … I’m very distraught about it. We’re going to have to look into it.”

He continued, in an on-field interview with NFL Network: “This shouldn’t happen to a player who’s entering his home stadium. That’s just absurd. I’m sorry for Tyreek. While I’m not pointing fingers, something obviously happened that shouldn’t have relative to the police officers on the scene.

“Evidently, the interaction with the officer that made that determination went off the rails. And Tyreek was very upset. He said he supports police officers. He wants to be a police officer, but in this instance, he was treated very badly.”

Hill, an eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, is entering his third season with the Dolphins and ninth in the NFL. He is coming off a career-high 1,799 receiving yards in 2023.

Hill has been involved in ample drama since he was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Dolphins in 2022: Police being called to his house for a domestic dispute in January. A lawsuit filed by a female social media influencer . An assault allegation at a Miami Beach marina . A house fire . A mysterious divorce petition that was withdrawn eight days after it was filed. And paternity suits.