“We’re gonna evolve” - When Travis Kelce made feelings known on Chiefs trading Tyreek Hill to Dolphins

The Kansas City Chiefs have been among the dominant teams in the NFL since 2018. Their offense was fronted by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill until the latter departed following the Super Bowl LV loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Before his departure, Hill was Mahomes' No. 1 target. In 72 games, he caught 441 of 641 receptions for 6,630 yards and 56 touchdowns. The wide receiver's departure was expected to dent the Chiefs' offense but Kelce remained optimistic in the team’s ability to adapt.

“We’re gonna evolve. We’re gonna try and find different ways to get everybody involved," Kelce said on ESPN’s NFL Live in April 2022. "It’s not just the ‘me and Tyreek show’ anymore. It’s a lot of guys trying to figure out this new offense and, on top of that, us trying to figure out how to make this thing work the best.”

Tyreek Hill had signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Chiefs from 2019-21, but a better offer elsewhere led to his departure. Recalling his conversation with Hill, Kelce said:

“No, no! Where you goin’, man? Then I heard it was the Jets or the Miami Dolphins. I’m like, ‘What? East? Alright, man.’”

Hill ultimately signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Miami Dolphins, with $72.2 million guaranteed. His $30 million annual average salary (APY) was the highest among all wide receivers at the time.

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Kansas City Chiefs makes a win-win situation out of Tyreek Hill trade

While Kansas City intended to retain Tyreek Hill, the receiver wanted an extension to make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. Weighing salary cap constraints and Hill's contract demand, the Chiefs traded him to the Dolphins for five draft picks, including a first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.

After four seasons in Miami, rumors suggest Hill is interested in returning to Kansas City. However, the Chiefs’ offense is already stacked with talent, including DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.