Last year, Tyreek Hill tore the ACL in his left knee on September 29, in Week 4 of the season. Naturally, the required knee surgery that followed knocked the five-time First-Team All-Pro out for the rest of the season.
Once the offseason arrived, as a part of a string of moves aimed at saving money, the Miami Dolphins released Hill from the team. That was back in February; he still hasn’t secured a contract for the season ahead. But now there may be complications.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh Doesn’t Think Tyreek Hill Plays in 2026
Recently, Hill revealed that he still doesn’t have any “power” in his surgically repaired left leg. That’s undoubtedly a concern for a receiver who has to make multiple twists and cuts on any given play. Especially for a 32-year-old coming off a torn ACL.
Nevertheless, Hill insisted he’s still pushing himself in rehab and is ahead of schedule. Yet, not everyone is matching Hill’s optimism.
One person who doesn’t is former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowler stated his belief, via the “Speakeasy” podcast, that Hill won’t be suiting up at all during the 2026 NFL season.
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“These next five months are going to be real critical,” Houshmandzadeh said. “I don’t believe he plays football this year. But I truly believe he will be signed with a team next year… I also do believe, if he were to take this season off, and he got 90% back in that left leg, oh, he’s getting his (expletive) back into the league next year. He’s too explosive. He will get back into the league next year.”
“Tyreek Hill getting his ass back into the league next year.. He can take this year off!”
– @housh84 STAMPS that regardless of Tyreek Hill taking this year off to rehab, he WILL be suit up in the NFL again
WE ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW ⬇️ https://t.co/cNlfc0i7LK pic.twitter.com/MLYEFVYRtL
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) July 24, 2026
For Hill, it may be better to be patient and make sure he doesn’t rush back to the football field too soon. After playing 10 seasons in the NFL, his body just doesn’t heal quite as well as it once did. That’s just how the human body is built to age.
Yet, if Hill can, as Houshmandzadeh said, get back to even 90% health in his surgically repaired left leg, then he can still be an effective playmaker. It just might not happen this year.
Though, is Hill willing to wait? Or is he dead set on trying to make an impact right from the start? Time will tell, but since he still doesn’t have a contract, Hill can afford to take the proper steps toward a full recovery.
