MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill engaged in a bit of subterfuge with reporters Thursday that would have made Mike McDaniel, king of pre-snap misdirection, proud.
He insisted that he only caught passes from Tim Boyle and not Snoop Huntley in Thursday’s padded practice, and that “they even had even [Jaylen] Waddle throwing.”
Hill might have committed too much to the bit, however, when he said:
“We’re in the process of looking for anybody who can throw. Open applications.”
Is Snoop Huntley the Miami Dolphins’ Next QB1?
Things, of course, are not that dire for the Dolphins at quarterback. And unless our Spidey Sense is way off, they seem pretty eager to see what Huntley can do as their starter against the Tennessee Titans on Monday.
McDaniel is big on not playing quarterbacks who don’t have buy-in from their teammates. And while McDaniel wasn’t prepared to name a Week 4 starter Thursday, he certainly intimated that Huntley in just two weeks seems to have earned that trust.
“I listen to the strongest statement that I think teammates can make,” McDaniel said. “Asking them is nice, but I’m also the head coach, and generally players are not trying to overly plateau one way or another with their teammates because they are good guys and they love all of them.
“But what I like to lean into is what I see through all sorts of nuances when 11 people play football. You can just tell, it’s the best way that I can explain it when guys are believing in the signal caller to really go and do what we have to do.”
Added Hill: “I love Snoop, man. I love Snoop. Had a chance to hang out with him at the Pro Bowl, tremendous guy, tremendous work ethic, obviously, man. He’s real quiet. I seen it, I’ve been watching film of him since he got here. I’m like, ‘This dude can make every throw. This dude is special.’ Special talent, man.”
Huntley said hearing that kind of praise “is amazing,” but he knows that he needs to not just earn his teammates’ faith but keep it by playing well.
That’s why he’s basically lived at Dolphins HQ since joining the team last week.
McDaniel wasn’t comfortable playing Huntley last Sunday after a few days of prep. But Huntley believes he’s made big strides in system familiarity over the last week.
“It’s like riding a bike,” he said. “You know, first time you’re a little iffy. You didn’t know how to peddle. Then you just start putting it off together, peddling, going in a straight line. Then after a while, you gonna start standing up.”