Tyreek Hill's 2025 has included an intentional effort to evolve as a man and leader.
Hill opened camp by revealing he'd recalibrated his focus on the simple, but essential parts of his life: football, himself and his family. His teammates have noticed -- including his most important cohort, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, with whom Hill hasn't maintained the best relationship and didn't help matters by declaring interest in leaving Miami at the end of the 2024 season.
It's a continuous process, but the two sides are certainly trying.
"Sure. I would say we're still continuing to do that," Tagovailoa said Wednesday. "But it's not just with me. It's with a lot of the guys. I'm not the only one that heard that. You guys aren't the only people who heard that. A lot of people that follow football, that follow the Miami Dolphins, that follow Tyreek, that are fans of his. Everyone has seen that. So when you say something like that, you don't just come back that with 'hey, my bad.' You've got to work that relationship up. You've got to build everything up again.
"It's still a work in progress. Not just for me, but for everybody. Like I said, he's working on himself. He's working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. That's the first step to me. I commend him for doing that."
Hill had reason to reevaluate his life after a 2024 season that would've been successful for lesser receivers -- 81 catches, 959 yards and six touchdowns would make many No. 2 wideouts happy -- but stood as Hill's worst campaign since an injury-filled 2019 with the Chiefs. At 31 years old, Hill can't just put it behind him and expect a bounce back sequel.
To Hill's credit, the results -- and the fallout from his emotionally charged display in Miami's season finale -- inspired a mature response. After all, if he's going to be worth the $27.65 million in guaranteed salary for the Dolphins in 2025, he needs to be more than a mercurial home run hitter, especially if the home runs aren't as plentiful as they were in previous years.
Tagovailoa seems to be encouraged by what he's seeing from Hill, who has two years left on his existing deal and might only draw one more lucrative contract before his time in the NFL runs out.
"I think there's a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek. He's conversating a lot more with the guys," Tagovailoa said on Wednesday. "Not just about football, but about things off the field. Being vulnerable with some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that's the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there.
"Everyone knows what he can do on the field, everyone respects what he can do on the field. But I think he's still trying to figure things out for himself as well. The man he wants to be, and he's not too young, everybody makes mistakes. It's just some people they're in the spotlight and their deals get pushed out more than some others. Just got to cut him some grace. That's our teammate. We love him. As a person if you know him, I think you'd love him, too."
While often outspoken, Hill deserves recognition for being a champion of Tagovailoa's in the past. When the quarterback returned from a concussion last October, Hill boldly claimed "we're back, baby," while urging fantasy football owners to start him.
The results never matched the optimism, leading to Hill's displeasure by the end of the season. Now, many in Miami understand 2025 is a pivotal campaign, prompting changes like Hill's effort to become a better leader.
We'll see if they produce better results. Their collective futures may depend upon it.
