The Miami Dolphins‘ head coach Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill are at odds once again weeks before the 2025/26 NFL season as the star wide receiver makes a public criticism of how the team is handling short-yardage running plays.
On August 1, the 31-year-old questioned the use of De’Von Achane in short-yardage situations as the Cheetah made it clear he does not view him as the ideal option for power scenarios.
“Take De’Von [Achane] out on third down – what?” Hill said when asked about Miami‘s short-yardage inefficiencies last season. “That’s my honest opinion.
“If it’s third-and-short, he’s not a power back. I keep telling him that in the locker room, but he swears he’s a power back.
“I love De’Von, but if I’m being honest like that’s why you got Jaylen Wright, that’s why you got Ollie Gordon II, for those kind of situations.”
The remarks came shortly after a team workout, suggesting they were unsolicited and unfiltered; additionally the comments, while framed around honesty, reflect a deeper tension regarding roles and internal decisions.
It’s a tension that McDaniel addressed with pointed sarcasm as the boss hits back at his player as the timing and tone reflect a growing frustration with Hill’s public commentary.
“I thought it was genius reporting by Tyreek,” McDaniel said. “Seeing how we had a short-yardage period that very day that you guys were in attendance for.
“And his suggestion was I guess congruent with [running backs coach Eric Studesville – that’s exactly how we repped the backs in that short-yardage period that very day.
“But we thought it was funny that he reported the news that wasn’t news on that practice day in that short-yardage period that you guys were all there, too, for.”
Hill’s comments follow major drop in form for Dolphins
This episode follows a series of off-field complications involving Hill. At the end of last season, Hill indicated he was “opening the door” to leaving Miami, only to later retract the statement and issue a public apology during Super Bowl week.
Even so, the uncertainty left its mark on the team’s perception of his commitment, and further muddying the waters, Hill was reportedly late to the team stretch on Sunday, August 3 despite suggesting otherwise.
It’s an ironic turn given he had just emphasized the importance of punctuality in a press appearance Friday, and the inconsistencies in behavior are difficult to overlook, especially for a player of Tyreek‘s stature and influence.
Now entering his 10th NFL season, Hill is looking to recover from a challenging 2024/25 campaign in which he posted 81 receptions for 959 yards and six touchdowns – a marked decline from his 1799 yards and 13 scores the year prior.
Despite his loss of productivity, the receiver remains an essential voice in the locker room. That voice, however, continues to create friction, especially as it relates to coaching decisions.
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