Tyreek Hill issues public apology to Tua Tagovailoa after hinting at leaving Miami

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has backtracked on his trade comments, issuing a public apology to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The shift comes after Hill's controversial exit from the team's final regular-season game of 2024.

It all began when Tyreek Hill removed himself from the third quarter of Week 18, following it up with statements about wanting to be "gone" and "opening the door" on a potential trade.

Hill addressed the controversy head-on during his Feb. 7, 2025 appearance on Kay Adams' "Up & Adams" show. He emphasized his bond with Tagovailoa and acknowledged the need to make amends:

"Tua, he's my guy. Always will be my guy, no matter what man like, and I'm sure, like, he understands my frustration, like we all want to win," Hill stated. "Tua, he's another competitor. He's a hell of a competitor. A lot of people don't know that.

"He's a winner. He's consistent. I'm looking forward to just us continuing to build our relationship and this is my public apology. This is my public apology to you Tua. I love you, bro."

The Dolphins' head coach reportedly spoke with Tyreek Hill about his behavior. He clarified that pulling himself from games wouldn't be tolerated if he planned to stay in Miami. Hill indicated his earlier comments stemmed from frustration over the team's disappointing 8-9 finish.

Tyreek Hill has some mending to do

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Dolphins' offensive lineman Terron Armstead spoke to talkSPORT about the wider impact on team dynamics (Feb 7):

"He really wants to win, so when he doesn't, it bothers him to the depths of his core," Armstead said. "I know the words that he said after our last game. I can't excuse him for it, 'cause as a captain and as a leader, you can't do that. So he has some mending to do with some relationships."

Tyreek Hill's post-season behavior raised additional concerns. He briefly changed his profile picture on X to an image of himself superimposed on Antonio Brown's body. This might reference Brown's infamous mid-game exit from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.

During a subsequent Fortnite stream on Jan 25, Hill defended his right to voice frustration:

"What y'all had heard at the end of the season was frustration," he explained. "I've been winning my whole life, bruh. Y'all don't understand, I bust my a*s every day. I deserve to feel like that; I deserve to have some kind of opinion."

Running back Raheem Mostert noted that while other players shared Hill's frustrations, they "didn't have the courage to say it like he did."

The situation marks the first time Miami has missed the playoffs in three seasons. As the team looks to address roster gaps for 2025, Hill's commitment to rebuilding relationships could prove crucial for their postseason aspirations.