Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill celebrated an 80-yard third quarter touchdown by pretending to have a teammate handcuff him—a cheeky reference to a pre-game incident in which he was detained by cops while on his way to Sunday’s season opener game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Dolphins would go on to beat the Jaguars 20 to 17. Hill ended the game with one touchdown, seven receptions, and 130 receiving yards.
In a video filmed by a fan, Hill can be seen over on the sideline with his hands behind his back as fellow Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle comes up from behind and grabs his hands.
His interaction with police, just hours before the touchdown, was also caught on camera.
In the video spread on social media, spectators film a handcuffed Hill interacting with police officers on the side of the road. At a certain point, one of the officers appears to forcibly take Hill face-first to the ground.
Another video shared by former NFL player and sports commentator Robert Griffin III shows Hill on his stomach being cuffed by police.
The team took to X to address the situation.
“This morning, WR Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic incident about one block from the stadium and briefly detained by police. He has since been released. Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support. Tyreek and all other players involved have safely arrived to the stadium and will be available for today’s game,” their message read.
The Miami-Dade police department’s director, Stephanie V. Daniels, also issued a statement.
“We are aware of the recent detainment of Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill by Miami-Dade Police Department officers,” Daniels said via X. “I have requested an immediate review of all details surrounding the incident, and we are also reviewing available body camera footage. We will provide updates as further information becomes available.”
ESPN reports that Hill was pulled over for speeding before having a “verbal altercation with police.”
In a sideline interview with the sports network prior to the game, Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, called the ordeal “heartbreaking” and “mind-boggling.” “We will be investigating this,” he added.
Hill has yet to comment.
