It would be one thing if the Dolphins landed Hill in free agency, but the immediate shock of his acquisition from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a boatload of draft picks is only just hitting home as the team hits the practice fields.
It's not just the fashion in which the Dolphins landed Hill that makes seeing him play in Miami seem so surreal. It's also the fact that he's so unlike any player the Dolphins have had in recent memory. He's a breath of fresh air who has revitalized the fanbase entering an extremely important season.
Here are five reasons Tyreek Hill is just what the doctor ordered for a revamped 2022 Dolphins squad.
Work Ethic
There's an old saying about athletes who push one another in practice: Iron sharpens iron. For Dolphins cornerbacks, facing Hill in practices all season will make whichever wide receiver they line up against on Sundays seem like a trip to the day spa.Much of what an NFL team becomes is determined simply by health and how hard they work. Tyreek Hill's work ethic ensures those around him will work harder than usual, if only to not look bad in comparison.
Miami Swagger
The Miami Hurricanes are synonymous with swagger, even after decades of having none. But the Miami Dolphins have been anything but known for confident vibes. With Tyreek on board, it's already apparent the Dolphins will enter the season expecting to field the better team each week, even when that's not the case.If there is one city in the NFL that should be known for overconfidence, it's Miami. Now the vibes of the city might finally show up on the football field.
Tua's Confidence
Tua Tagovailoa enters a third season that won't only determine his future in the NFL, but the Dolphins' future as a franchise. If Tua flops, Miami is in trouble. They've traded a lot of assets for Tyreek Hill, rendering it extremely unlikely they'd be able to trade up for a quarterback in next year's draft. They've also paid quite a few players big deals, so the salary cap won't be on their side, either.Tyreek Hill has expressed confidence in Tua all offseason, going as far as to call Tagovailoa the most accurate QB in the NFL. Having a weapon like Hill on your team is one thing. Having him believe in you is a significant bonus.
Jaylen Waddle
If Jaylen Waddle was able to break the NFL record for pass receptions as a rookie without Tyreek Hill on the other side for defenders to worry about, what will he do with Hill on his team? Good luck, defenses!The second-year player out of Alabama is primed for a breakout season, if there's such a thing for a player coming off a record-setting rookie year. With Hill drawing attention, Waddle should be free to roam the center of the field, catching footballs with lots of room to run.
That should be a lot of fun for Dolphins fans to watch.
Mike McDaniel's Plan
Imagine not only being a first-year NFL coach who emerged from relative obscurity but also being handed the greatest weapon in the league shortly thereafter. Blessed is not the word for how Mike McDaniel must be feeling entering his first season on the Dolphins sidelines.Being an offensive-minded coach, McDaniel has master chef-level ingredients to cook with, and Tyreek Hill is the choicest of them all. After years of changing head coaches every few seasons, Hill virtually guarantees McDaniel has what he needs to hit the ground running, and for the Dolphins to make a Super Bowl run.
