Tyreek Hill – August 6, 2022
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Saturday, August 6, 2022
WR Tyreek Hill
(Today is Hall of Fame enshrinement day. How much have you thought about possibly being in there one day and how you would look in a gold jacket? Have you thought about that at any point?) – “No. I don’t really try to think about any of that. At this point in my career, the only thing I’m really thinking about is just winning games and doing whatever I can for this team. That’s really it. When that day comes for me to get into the Hall of Fame, I’ll be thankful. I’ll be grateful for just being listed or even being considered to be in those categories. That would be great. But for right now, I’m just focusing on what I can control and that’s my career and that’s me going out there and balling and doing what I can do.”
(Did you have, growing up, some of those Hall of Famers that you looked up to?) – “I mean, yeah. But honestly for me, my biggest thing looking up was my granddad. I always looked up to my granddad. For me, my granddad was my greatest hero. He didn’t make it to the NFL or anything but he would teach me the things that I do every day which is work hard, out-work anybody on the field, compete and challenge yourself every day, and be a better human being than the day before. My granddad, shout out to him.”
(One thing I found kind of interesting is that you played everywhere on the field. In Kansas City, you were used a lot in the slot. WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Cedrick Wilson Jr., both of those guys have also been used in the slot. Just from your perspective, what advantages and disadvantages are there to being in the slot as opposed to working on the boundary?) – “At the end of the day, everybody is in the NFL. There are some weak spots on the field. Considering the slot is typically the – I feel like it’s maybe not the weakest spot on the field but considered like cornerback No. 3. But that’s why you play for great coaches. They know how to use you. They know how to put you in positions to make plays. I feel like I didn’t play slot that much. I feel like I’m an outside receiver. Maybe not your traditional size, but I get the job done. I do what I do.”
(The celebration you had with WR Jaylen Waddle yesterday, who thought of that? And how did that come about?) – “That’s the AB. ‘Put that S on.’ Shout out to AB, doing his thing, making music right now and transitioning from football to making music. Any way I can support anybody that I know, and somebody that played the game at a very high level, me and J-Dub (Jaylen Waddle), smaller guy, similar frame just like us, we’re going to ‘Put that S on.’ (laughter)”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel is big on giving established veterans load management and time off. You’ve been going hard in practice all throughout training camp, but why was that so important for you?) – “For me, I’ve just got to take time for my body because I’m a fast guy. I feel like all of the fast guys get certain injuries. I feel like that wasn’t really like a load management day for me. I had a little slight ding-up. I’m not really going to get into it. But I truly think those days are important because playing in Miami, the sun can weigh on you, as you can tell. It can take the fluids right out of your body. It puts so much soreness in your hamstrings and other muscles that you have in your body. Those days are very important, so it’s really up to us how we approach those days.”
(When you’re out there practicing, you’re going hard.) – “Oh, yeah. I always go hard. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about none of that. I don’t care if I’m injured or not, I’m going to go hard. When I’m on the field, I’m going to give my teammates my everything. That’s what I do. And I expect the same thing from them, which I know they’re going to give me the same thing back.”
(You’re only a couple of days removed from joint practices with Tampa. Do you get the sense that guys are really itching to go up against somebody else on the field?) – “As far as us? Or them?”
(As far as you guys facing another opponent, do you sense the guys are getting antsy for that?) – “Yeah, man. I’m really sick of going against ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), man. He’s been locking me up in practice. I’m really eager to go against somebody else. Somebody that I’ve played twice. I really can’t wait to get to Tampa and I know the guys are very eager to get down there as well to play. Everybody is excited.”
(You lack no confidence. What is it that powers that confidence?) – “Family. Just who I am as a person. I feel like I’ve always been this way. But for me, you’ve just got to know when to show it and know when to just be yourself. I just feel like growing up my whole life, I’ve always been the fastest. I’ve always been a (expletive) talker – in track and basketball. Once I made it to the league, it kind of carried on. Then I began to make plays. Then I began to talk a little bit more. That’s probably why they got rid of me in Kansas City because I was talking.”
(Does the talking force you to live up to it?) – “Yeah, man. I feel like if I don’t talk, I don’t perform, because I perform better under pressure. That’s just my mentality. I feel like if I’m relaxed, if I’m just chilling and just vibing, then I go with the flow. But if somebody is engaging me and talking trash. Like say for instance I’m going against a DB and he doesn’t say nothing to me the whole entire game. To me, I’m like ‘Ok, we’re brother-in-lawing it.’ But if he’s sitting there and talking trash to me and doing what he’s got to do, in my face every play, then I’m going to challenge him back. I’m going to do what I’ve got to do.”
(How do you think your talking leads to confidence for your teammates as well? When they see you barking, they want to follow you and have a standout play just like you. How do you think that rubs off with everybody?) – “I feel like it rubs off in the right way and like you said, it rubs off on everyone. Tua (Tagovailoa) has even been talking trash, so I think that’s great for his confidence moving forward, going into these big games that we’re about to play. I’m just like a match. I just get the thing started and everybody else just finishes it.”
(Can you give us examples of QB Tua Tagovailoa and his trash talk?) – “Y’all have seen it. It’s kind of subtle but it’s here and there. I’ve seen the interviews you’ve all done with Tua. He kind of showed his confidence a little bit.”
(What inspired you to start your podcast and what have you learned from the experience so far?) – “The experience has been great. Just being able to meet different individuals, learning about their backgrounds and hearing their story. The reason I really started it is I just wanted to give a players’ perspective. That’s really it. I truly, when I do stuff, I do it from the heart. I really want to hear about people and I want people to understand who we are as football players, because most people see us as individuals with helmets on our head. My thing is I try to get different people. I don’t care how many followers you’ve got. I just want to get you on there to talk to you and hear your story. Then you’ll be able to relate to it a little bit. That’s really why I started it.”
(Do you feel like it enhanced the relationship with some of the teammates you’ve had on like WR Jaylen Waddle and QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “No, I really don’t think so. I feel like our relationship was going to be there regardless of whatever because our personalities just gel so well together.”
(Yesterday, WR Jaylen Waddle had said that the thing that stands out most about your arrival here is your professionalism and your approach to the game. I was curious what you can say about the way that he approaches the game?) – “It’s the same way. I can kind of put us in the same category. When I was at his age and at his time in his career, I came into work every day. He works hard and doesn’t make excuses and does what he’s told. And when another guy got the ball, he played for that guy no matter what. So if I’m getting the ball, he’s blocking for me. Or if Raheem (Mostert) or anybody else, or if Tua (Tagovailoa) got the ball, he’s doing what he’s got to do to make plays for this team. That’s all I can ask for from a young guy trying to learn, trying to make it and trying to do what he can to support his family or whatever. Shout out to ‘J-Dub’ (Waddle) for that.”
