Dolphins' Tyreek Hill 'laughing through pain' as he faces likely season-ending knee injury
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill talks with a staff member as he is carted off the field during a Monday night home game against the New York Jets.(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill suffered a potentially season-ending injury after making a sideline catch during his team's 27-21 win over the New York Jets on "Monday Night Football."
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that Hill had dislocated his left knee and would remain hospitalized overnight for further testing.
Multiple media outlets are reporting that Hill tore multiple ligaments in the knee, including his ACL, and will undergo reconstructive surgery Tuesday.
Hill suffered the injury early in the third quarter when he caught a 10-yard pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa going out of bounds and was tackled by Jets rookie Malachi Moore. Hill's knee was badly twisted and an air cast was placed over his leg.
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The eight-time Pro Bowl selection remained upbeat in the immediate aftermath of the injury, joking around with teammates and smiling and gesturing to the Miami crowd as he was carted off the field.
"He was probably in the best spirits of any player that I've ever seen [have] such a terrible experience," McDaniel said. "He immediately had wide eyes and was talking, 'I'm good, just make sure the guys get this win.' He was focused on the team."
In an interview from the hospital Monday night, agent Drew Rosenhaus told WSVN-TV in Miami that his client's spirits remained high as he waited to undergo an MRI exam and CT scan to help determine the extent of the injury.
"I can't tell you how impressed I am with his mental toughness, with his uplifting attitude," Rosenhaus said. "He's keeping a smile on his face, telling myself and his parents who are with me that he's blessed to be in the position that he's in. He was watching the game. He was cheering for his teammates. He was rooting the team on. He's handling a very tough situation the very best that you can."
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Dolphins offensive lineman Terron Armstead had a similar update about the speedy receiver nicknamed "Cheetah" on Monday night.
"I just got a FaceTime call from my brother @cheetah," Armstead wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "First thing he said 'man I'm just happy we got that win'!! He's in good spirits and said he was laughing through the pain, to avoid passing out!! crazy! Praying for best news possible and speedy recovery!"
Hill spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning Super Bowl LIV with them after the 2019 season. After being traded to the Dolphins during the 2022 offseason, Hill finished second in the NFL with 1,710 receiving yards that season, then led the league with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdown catches in 2023.
"Prayers up man.....," Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wrote on X shortly after Hill's injury.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.