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Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley spoke on the decision to release Tyreek Hill

After four years, the Miami Dolphins decided to part ways with All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Miami released Hill prior to free agency, as the receiver was set to carry a $51 million cap hit, and he had just missed the majority of the season with a dislocated knee that required multiple surgeries

With a new regime stepping in this offseason, as the Dolphins hired general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, releasing Hill was one of the first of many difficult decisions they had to make. 

Jeff Hafley on Miami Dolphins Decision to Release Tyreek Hill

First-year Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley appeared on Richard Sherman’s podcast, a player Hafley previously coached in San Francisco, where he discussed Miami’s decision to release both Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa. Hafley said, “Obviously, Jon-Eric (Sullivan) and I had a lot of conversations about that, and, you know, it’s truly the situation that we walked into.. I think there was over 33 free agents on the roster when we got here. 

The cap situation was really difficult, so we had to get in a healthier spot as far as the cap goes, so we had to make some really hard decisions with some really good players, who I have a ton of respect for, and they are still going to have a lot of success in this league. We just weren’t in the situation where we were able to keep them as we build this thing going forward. Hard decisions are made, really good players had to leave the team, and now we find ourselves in a position where we just drafted 13 players… We’re going to be young.”

Hafley’s mindset seems to align with what Jon-Eric Sullivan previously said his team mindset was. Before taking the Dolphins job, Sullivan had said, “You build through the draft, it’s a young man’s game.”

Hill’s Dolphins Tenure and Future

Unfortunately, Hill’s injury came at the worst possible time for him as it drastically lowered his chances of remaining with the Miami Dolphins going forward. 

Hill’s four-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins produced two All-Pro seasons, two top-10 MVP finishes, a receiving yards title, and a receiving touchdown title, and the two best seasons by a Dolphins wide receiver in the team’s history.

After acquiring Tyreek Hill from the Chiefs, Miami made the postseason in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Unfortunately, the team was unable to win a playoff game in either of their two playoff games.

Despite remaining productive, Hill remains a free agent, most likely due to his knee injury and recovery. After undergoing surgery following the injury, Hill stated earlier this year that he was set to undergo a second surgery on that same knee. However, Hill has shown a positive mindset as he said during a stream this year, “It hasn’t been as rough as people try to make it seem, you know what I’m saying, but I’ll say, me, filling my time with DJ, and traveling to all these different places, it has been a lot easier for myself. I’m just enjoying my life, I’m enjoying myself.”