Tyreek Hill's gruesome knee injury suffered in Monday night's 27-21 win over the New York Jets comes with a long, long road ahead for the Miami Dolphins receiver.
Hill's dislocated knee has multiple torn ligaments, including his ACL, ending his season four games into the 2025 campaign, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday morning. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed later Tuesday that Hill would miss the rest of the season after tearing multiple knee ligaments.
Hill underwent surgery on Tuesday. It is possible that additional surgeries could be required, and there is no guarantee he'll be ready for 2026, Rapoport added.
The wideout suffered the ugly injury while being tackled along the sideline by Jets defensive back Malachi Moore. Hill's leg immediately appeared twisted at an unnatural angle. He was carted off the field in the third quarter and was taken to a hospital for imaging, evaluation and observation. The team quickly ruled him out for the remainder of the contest.
Now he's out for the rest of the season, and it's a long road ahead for the 31-year-old.
What does Hill's injury mean for Miami?
Losing the speedster is a massive blow for Mike McDaniel's team, which is trying to turn things around following a 1-3 start to the season. The injury damped the Dolphins' first win of the season.
Even as he gets up in age, Hill's speed is a threat to every defense. He must be accounted for every snap with multiple defenders. Gamble with one-on-ones too many times, and you're likely to be burned.
Since joining Miami in 2022, Hill has generated 4,733 yards on 340 catches with 27 touchdowns, including a league-leading 1,799-yard, 13-TD 2023 season. Hill had missed just one game (Week 15, 2023) in four campaigns in Miami. Now, the Dolphins will miss him for the balance of 2025, and potentially longer.
The most obvious answer to Hill's absence will be an uptick in targets for 2021 first-round pick Jaylen Waddle. Miami paid Waddle as Hill's 1B with the idea that he'd eventually take over the 1A role. That transition came sooner than perhaps expected. Waddle owns the ability to get open on all three levels and is dynamic after the catch. He might not be the deep-ball maven that Hill is, but he's not lacking for speed or playmaking.
Waddle will be Tua Tagovailoa's go-to target for the foreseeable future. The bigger question is who steps up from there. Malik Washington should be the first to see his role increased after playing mostly an ancillary role after becoming a fourth-round pick in 2024. He has 34 catches for 270 yards in 18 career games.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine should also generate more snaps in three-receiver sets. The 6-foot-2 veteran brings experience and size and is no slouch at stretching the field. In five years in Tennessee, he generated 1,773 yards and 19 TDs. He's been little-used since signing in Miami this offseason (four catches, 26 yards). That should change in the coming weeks. Tahj Washington, a 2024 seventh-rounder, should also get a shot to contribute when fully healthy.
Shifty running back De'Von Achane is already a good pass catcher. He should get more opportunities now. Getting him in space could fill some of the void. The question is whether McDaniel might try to split the RB out wide more or use him in motion, as he often did with Hill, to alter the defense.
The other route for McDaniel to fill the Hill hole is to increase his tight end usage. Darren Waller made an impressive debut Monday night, catching two TD passes. He's clearly a red-zone threat, but can also win over the middle and down the seam. The issue will be not taxing the veteran who has an injury history and didn't play at all in 2024. Fellow tight end Julian Hill could see more snaps if McDaniel decides to deploy more two-tight end formations.
Miami quickly made one move following Hill's injury, signing veteran Cedrick Wilson off the Saints' practice squad, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported.
The other side effect for Miami: All the trade chatter that was surely to come surrounding Hill as we get closer to the deadline is wiped away.
Where does the injury leave Hill?
Hill was impressively upbeat following the gruesome injury. Teammates and coaches credited him with cracking jokes while being carted off.
With a tough road ahead in recovery, that spirit will be tested.
Rapoport's report that Hill might not be ready for 2026 is already an ominous sign and underscores the brutal nature of the injury. Those can end careers.
At 31, Hill might have lost some production, but his blazing speed still altered defenses. When he needed to gain separation, he could. How long might it take, if ever, for the 5-foot-10 wideout to get that back? We've seen in the past that it takes some players (i.e., Saquon Barkley) well more than a year to regain their speed and agility. For a 10-year veteran, that becomes even harder.
In fact, there have been only three WRs who have torn their ACL at age 30 or older and then had at least 750 receiving yards in a future season since 1995, per NFL Research: Green Bay's Jordy Nelson (injured at 30 in 2015; 1,257 yards in 2016), New England's Julian Edelman (injured at 31 in 2017; 850 yards in 2018, 1,117 yards in 2019) and Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne (injured at 34 in 2013; 779 yards in 2014).
Monday's injury to the star receiver is a brutal reality of a physical game.
Rapoport reported that while none of Hill's 2026 salary is guaranteed, $11 million of a $29.9 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed, along with a $5 million roster bonus, if he's on the roster in March. It's fair to assume that Hill won't be able to pass a physical at that point.
Hill is scheduled to be a free agent in 2027.
