On Monday, we learned that former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is officially a free agent after being released by the Miami Dolphins.
Predictably, the immediate take on social media called for Hill to return to Kansas City, where he played from 2016 to 2021. The team’s fifth-round selection from the 2016 NFL Draft ranks fifth in team history with 6,630 receiving yards and fourth all-time in all-purpose touchdowns with 67.
Hill’s 44-yard reception from quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIV spurred a Chiefs’ comeback and is one of the signature plays in franchise history. Returning Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is also known to have a strong relationship with Hill.
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Still, a second stint in Kansas City is probably unlikely for the wideout.
The biggest question surrounding Hill is his health. In Week 4, Hill suffered a devastating knee injury against the New York Jets. The gruesome diagnosis was a dislocated knee with multiple torn ligaments, including his ACL.
During Super Bowl week, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that it is unknown when — or if — the speedster would be available in 2026. With so much of Hill’s value tied to otherworldly speed, he may never recover in a way that puts him back in a huddle.
There are also considerations other than health.
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Hill entered the league with Kansas City under the cloud of a domestic violence conviction, and the Chiefs weathered the storm as he faced child abuse allegations in 2019. Multiple controversial incidents followed after he was traded to the Dolphins in 2022, although Hill has never received a league suspension.
The Chiefs and Dolphins repeatedly stood by Hill while he was the most dangerous weapon in football. A team might be less willing to put the work on its public relations department for a rehabbing player. If Hill’s career continues, he may be unlikely to join a team until fully cleared to practice.
Continuing his career may not be as simple as signing an incentives-laden contract.
The Wide receiver position sees many careers end earlier than expected because it is difficult for starting players to shift to backup roles.
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Backup wide receivers are generally expected to take on significant special teams snaps. If a wideout cannot be one of the top three options in the passing game, it is hard to justify the roster space without contributions on the third unit.
Would a reduced role for Tyreek Hill likely be a better option on a given play than most teams’ fourth or fifth wide receiver? Yes, but that also would have been true for even the 33-year-old version of former star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. — who never caught on with a team in 2025. It also would have been the case for former New Orleans Saints pass catcher Michael Thomas, who never signed with a team in 2024 after reaching free agency.
On the players’ side, the realities of late-career money may be hard to swallow. Hill has made over $25 million for four consecutive seasons. Even if he hit every hypothetical incentive a new team offered him, the compensation would be far below what he is accustomed to making.
Hill will turn 32 next month. His most likely path forward will be to continue his rehab and sign with a contender later in the season, in hopes of reestablishing his value ahead of 2027’s free agency to chase one more payday. Whether that comes in Kansas City will probably depend on whether the Chiefs’ 2026 is going better than the last campaign and their needs at the position.
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