Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has announced his retirement from the NFL.
Well, kind of.
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The player, often called "Cheetah" due to his incredible speed, said that after his contract with the Dolphins ends, he's "gonna call it quits." Hill elaborated on his decision in a recent appearance on Sports Radio 810 WHB.
"I'm going for 10, man," Hill said, referring to 10 seasons. "I'm gonna finish out this contract with the Dolphins and then I'm gonna call it quits. I want to go into the business side. I want to do so many things in my life, bro.
"So I really want to get into like the gaming space. I really want to get huge in that and that's kind of what I'm doing right now. I'm using my platform, creating a gaming team, which isn't launched yet. It should launch by the end of this month. I'm gonna just sign like different content creators, different athletes. I just been working that, talking to different sponsors."
Hill says he's going to finish 10 seasons in the NFL once his contract ends with the Dolphins and retire.
"I really want to get into like the gaming space. I really want to get huge in that and that's kind of what I'm doing right now."https://t.co/1t1CxX5t2c
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 6, 2023
While Hill technically has a four-year, $120 million deal with the Dolphins that he signed after being traded to the team from the Chiefs before the 2022 season, the team has an out after 2025, as his 2026 base salary is about $44 million with a $56 million cap hit.
Yeah, there's almost zero chance it stays the way it is. Currently 29 years old, Hill would retire after 10 years in the league at 31. His time in the NFL has been nothing short of electric, while marred by various off-the-field issues.
So, let's assume Hill actually does retire after the 2025 season. Where does that leave his legacy? Is he a Hall of Famer?
Let's explore that below.
Tyreek Hill, Future NFL Hall of Famer?
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RELATED: Tyreek Hill's Blazing Speed Earned Him His "Cheetah" Nickname
Drafted in the fifth round and No. 165 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs out of West Alabama, Hill has had an incredible career.
Just look at this resume:
- Super Bowl LIV champion
- Four-time First-Team-Pro
- One-time Second-Team All-Pro
- Seven-Time Pro Bowl Selection
The 2022-23 season marked Hill's seventh season in the league and his first with the Dolphins. Over that time, he's amassed 598 receptions for 8,340 yards, 63 touchdowns, and averages 13.9 yards per reception. That gives him an average line of 85 receptions, 1,191 yards, and nine touchdowns. He's also missed just six games, with four coming in the 2019 season.
What makes Hill's stat line all the more impressive is just how involved he was, even as a fifth-round rookie. That year, Hill saw 83 targets, caught 61 passes, and went for 593 yards and six touchdowns. This and 2019 were the only season Hill had under 100 targets.
Over the last two years, Hill has seen 159 targets (2021) and 170 (2022). In his first year with the Dolphins last season, the touchdown numbers were down a bit (seven), but he demolished his receiving yardage total with 1,710. His previous high was in 2018 when he had 1,479, which came when there were 16 games in the regular season.
So where does he land all-time should this level of production continue?
If we use the average above, which factors in his rookie season and the year he missed four games, Hill would finish his career with approximately 850 receptions, 11,910 receiving yards, and 90 touchdowns. That would also allow him to continue his average yards per catch of around 14.
Based on the current data (and, yes, other players will play too, so it's not an exact science), Hill would crack the top 30 in receiving yards and receptions and inside the top 15 in touchdowns in just ten years.
Of those players inside the top 30 in receiving yards, 13 are Hall of Famers. For the players inside the top 15 in receiving touchdowns, there are 11 Hall of Famers.
Again, there's no way to predict where Hill lands on all-time lists, as other players will also generate statistics. Still, it's not too farfetched to label Hill as a potential Hall of Famer when you factor in his accolades, including a Super Bowl championship.
However, there are undoubtedly some off-the-field issues that could play into it. While Hill was never suspended by the NFL (he was suspended by the Chiefs pending an investigation, however), Hill was involved in a child abuse/neglect case, allegedly. Without diving too much into the details, audio recordings that certainly would upset most listeners were leaked.
This is something that follows Hill. Look at the replies to any tweet he's ever made. You'll see what I'm talking about.
Turning back to "strictly football" though, Hill has the accolades and stats (both currently and projected) to warrant a discussion. We also need to consider the possibility of further accolades, which could include additional Super Bowl Championships.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Dolphins are +2500 to win the Super Bowl in 2023.
So, is Hill a future Hall of Famer if he retires after his contract with the Dolphins is up? It's looking more probable than not.
The Dolphins will host the Chiefs in 2023.
