Speaking on his It Needed To Be Said podcast this week, wide receiver Tyreek Hill claimed he and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovalioa know that their offensive chemistry will be "on point" in 2022.
Since the wide receiver was traded from Kansas City to Miami in March, one of the most intriguing storylines for the Dolphins has been the growing partnership between Hill and his new quarterback.
The pair have often found themselves the subject of discussion over the last few months as fans and media alike finally got to see them practice together. And as some criticize Tagovailoa for his perceived issues as a QB, Hill has quickly become one of his biggest supporters, constantly hyping up his quarterback. First it was tweets defending Tagovailoa when a video went viral of an apparent underthrow on a deep ball, and then Hill even went so far as to say on the first episode of his podcast that Tagovailoa was a more accurate passer than Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, a statement which surprised many and drew considerable ire from his former fanbase.
This vocal defense of his quarterback is just part of the growing camaraderie between the pair as they begin practicing for their first season together.
The trade for Hill was one of many splashy offseason moves the Dolphins front office has made this offseason, giving the indication that the team is looking to make its way back into playoff contention in 2022. And if Miami wants to be successful in that endeavor to make the postseason for the first time since 2016, the chemistry between its starting quarterback and new star receiver needs to develop like Tagovailoa and HIll say it will.
When discussing this need on the podcast, Tagovailoa poked fun at some of his critics, jokingly saying that the chemistry between him and Hill was not at all good.
"I don't think [the chemistry is] good enough," Tagovailoa said. "I've been underthrowing him so many times. I'm just saying. I've been underthrowing him so many times. ... He got people talking about how I can't throw the deep ball."
But being more serious, both players said the chemistry between them on offense has been great considering they've only been working together for a few months. Hill also said that their chemistry would only continue to grow as offseason workouts ramp up, predicting that sometime in the near future they'll be so in tune that they can anticipate each other on and off the field.
"It's all good, man. I just feel like our chemistry will get there, man," Hill said. "It's gonna be about 2 a.m. one night, and you're gonna wake up. You're gonna walk in your kitchen, and I'm gonna be washing your dishes. That's how good our chemistry is gonna be.
"You gonna be like 'Reek, what you doing in here?' I'm gonna be like 'Man, look. I'm trying to get that chemistry and that bond together. So you know where I'm at all the time on the field, so if I run a 60-yard route and decide to turn into a comeback, I just need the ball right there. Our chemistry gonna be on point. Just believe that."
With both Hill and Tagovailoa aware that Miami is itching to get back into the conversation after a few seasons of playing well and still missing the playoffs, the duo knows that the offense's success will heavily rely on how well they're able to play together. And all the hype and talk of the offseason won't matter a bit if they can't come together and get results.
"We can't only be about talk," Hill said. "We gotta continue doing what we're doing, We've got to obviously follow the coach's lead and follow your lead, and we just got to let the naysayers do their talking, motivate us, and then play ball on Sundays. Everything else will take care of itself."
