Tyreek Hill’s teammates had his back when he was detained by Miami-Dade police officers and put in handcuffs near the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium just hours before their win against the Jaguars on Sunday.
Dolphins wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who began the season on the physically unable to perform list due to an undisclosed injury, appeared confused while at the scene when his fellow receiver was pulled over by police, as seen in a video obtained by TMZ.
“What the f–k happened?” Beckham was heard asking while talking with Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who was also on the scene.
Someone else was heard saying speeding could have played a role.
“Ask them if they know what a 720S is. The b—h go fast,” Beckham said.
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was seen talking with officers.
Warning: Explicit language
The South Florida Police Benevolent Association said in a statement that Hill was detained for “driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great risk of danger.”
Hill was then put in handcuffs for being “not immediately cooperative,” according to the PBA.
Hill received two citations as a result of his traffic stop, including careless driving and a seatbelt violation, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported Monday.
Campbell said after the game that police told him they briefly placed Hill in handcuffs for “disobeying a direct order.”
Campbell did not receive a citation.
Video footage from the incident showed Hill lying facedown on the ground while being handcuffed before multiple officers lifted him to his feet.
One of the officers who was on the scene was placed on administrative leave, and the Miami-Dade Police Department opened an internal investigation into the matter on Sunday.
Hill didn’t understand why he was pulled over at first, according to Darlington, who asked him about it after the game.
“Speeding reckless driving or whatever,” Hill, who played on Sunday, said, per Darlington.
Hill also said he didn’t know why he was placed in handcuffs.
“He felt like he was respectful. He didn’t cuss. He said he put his hands on the steering wheel like he has been taught to do since he was a young man, and believes that he handled everything appropriately,” Darlington said during an appearance on “First Take” on Monday.
There was video that showed a police officer tapping on the car window to lower it, which Hill did not, Darlington said.
Hill explained that he is still trying to figure out what occurred during the incident.
“Right now I’m still trying to put it all together so I’m not going to give you a version of, I still don’t know what happened,” Hill told reporters after the game, adding that he wants to be a cop one day and “has a lot of respect for cops.”
Tyreek Hill after a WHIRLWIND day, with our @Melanie_Collins pic.twitter.com/IaErQMEFlH
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 8, 2024
Hill described the situation as a “surprise” on his way to work.
“So when I left home I told my wife, I was like ‘Babe, I’m finna go to work and finna get prepared for my day.’ Little did I know, that was quite a surprise on the way man,” he told CBS Sports NFL reporter Melanie Collins after the game.
“But at the end of the day, I have a job to do and my job is to come inside this stadium and be great.”
Hill praised his teammates when he was asked about them joining him that morning to support him.
“Bro, I love that. I was f–king fired up. To see [them] in the heat of the battle with me man,” Hill said.
“That goes to show that it’s more than football. The brotherhood we got outside of just football is amazing, because those dudes were really risking their lives for me.
“… You know what I’m not going to comment on any of that [his detainment] man… We just gonna let bygones be bygones. Move on and learn from it… Free Cheetah.”
Hill finished with seven catches for 130 yards — including an 80-yard touchdown catch that revived Miami’s offense in the third quarter — in their 20-17 win over Jacksonville.
Hill and Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle celebrated that touchdown with a handcuff routine, which was a nod to his run-in with police.
