There will not be a walk into the sunset for Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins, but there won't be a disgruntled receiver quitting on his team, either. The last impression Dolphins fans will have of Hill will be him smiling and waving as he left Hard Rock Stadium on a muggy Monday night.
Hill tore multiple ligaments in his knee as well as dislocated it early in the third quarter of Monday night's win over the Jets. He told Terron Armstead afterward that he kept smiling and cheering to distract himself from the pain. The star WR waved to the fans as he was carted off the field, and it may as well have served as a goodbye.
For Hill and the Dolphins, it looks more likely this will be what ends his career in Miami, and there are millions of reasons for the Dolphins to walk away.
Tyreek Hill's contract leaves little choice for the Dolphins in 2026
Following the success of his surgery on Tuesday, Hill's agent stated that he will not require another surgery and that this surgery not only went well, but that Hill should be ready to go to start the 2026 season. That still may work with someone else.
There is another reason, however, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has laid it all out in the open for fans to digest. Per Rapoport, Hill's contract is not guaranteed beyond the 2025 season. On his birthday, Hill will receive an $11 million guarantee, along with an additional $5 million roster bonus.
Releasing Hill would save Miami more than just $11 million. They would receive more than $30 million added to their cap, with around $15 million in dead cap space. However, it's not the money that is the issue here; it's the uncertainty.
The extent of Hill's injury is such that there is no guarantee he will be available to start the 2026 season. There are no guarantees that he will play at all next year. Rapoport pointed out that Hill could undergo multiple surgeries to repair his knee. Hill's first surgery took place a day after his injury.
Miami needs to examine this situation carefully. Guaranteeing more of Hill's salary without knowing what the future is going to hold is risky, especially for a team that many believed would eventually work out a trade to move Hill off the roster.
The trade will not happen now. Not before the deadline, not before the start of the league's new year in March, and most certainly not before Hill's guaranteed money kicks in.
Everything points to one final move: the release of Hill sometime after the 2025 season concludes.