The moment that the Miami Dolphins released Tyreek Hill in a cap-saving move, he immediately went to the top of the free agent list. It didn’t take long for “The Cheetah” to be linked back to the Kansas City Chiefs, but not everyone is on board with the idea of a reunion with the mercurial receiver.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid Makes His View on Tyreek Hill Quite Clear
On February 16th, the Dolphins chose to save $22.8 million in cap space rather than bring back the nearly-32-year-old Hill. He is currently recovering from a brutal ACL tear during the 2025 campaign, and that is something Reid considers a serious hindrance to Hill returning.
“I don’t know if Tyreek is healthy right now to do anything. I’m sure he’s working hard on that part of it to get that straightened out,” Reid stated on February 20th, as reported by Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star.
For a coach that is serious about building championship teams, an aging pass catcher with an unreliable knee isn’t a move you make at the price that Hill would come at. Even at the reduced salary Spotrac lists for him ($15.1 million), that is money the Chiefs could spend elsewhere with more certainty.
That doesn’t mean everyone in the NFL universe is against the move. In fact, Chris Jones, the highly-paid pass rusher for Kansas City, posted on X to support Hill’s return. NFL players are known for their cryptic, short posts without much explanation, but Jones tagged Hill with a clock emoji to signal “it’s time”.
ESPN’s Nate Taylor reported that former NFL safety Louis Riddick, now a pundit on “First Take,” didn’t just say that Hill to the Chiefs was likely, Riddick went a step further. “Not only do they need him, he needs them.”
There is no arguing that when Hill is healthy and in the right system, he can easily outpace most of the league when it comes to pure speed and production. Once a player who relies on bursts and endurance as much as Hill does passes that 30-year threshold, every season further from high-end results matters all the more.
The last time Hill seemed to truly be himself was in 2023, the final year of a ridiculous four-year stretch that saw him amass 6,024 yards and 44 touchdowns receiving. That run included four consecutive Pro Bowls and three First Team All-Pro nods. This will be 2026, though, and Hill turns 32 on March 1st, which makes the odds of a full return all the more slim.
Reid doesn’t see Hill as the answer to any issues the Chiefs need to solve heading into the 2026 season. While the speedster is almost assured a prime NFL spot somewhere, the chance of him ever wearing the colors of Kansas City are nonexistent at best.
