Tyreek Hill – December 24, 2023 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 24, 2023
Postgame – Dallas
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill
Q. Same question for you. I know you were not thinking this in the moment, but looking back, how important was that drive to kind of maybe change the narrative?
TYREEK HILL: I feel like every guy on the team knew what was at stake, and plus it was a big moment for us. We can look back at the course of the game. We have Tennessee being the last game we could have won and we didn’t deliver. So this game right here was kind of like the mentality game for us. When everyone on the offensive side, during meetings, we said, look, whenever we have a chance to score or win the game, or end the game with the ball, we’re going to do that. And that’s something that’s been communicated throughout our meetings and stuff like that, because we just can’t be called the best offense, we can’t be called explosive, we have to be able to have good drives and the way Tua orchestrated the last drive, it was a thing of beauty.
Q. The third-and-2, the play where you went flat, picking up the first down there, what went through that call, the play to you on the last drive in the flat that you ended up picking up the first down, just take us through that a little bit. What was the call? What was the read?
TYREEK HILL: That was just one of them plays. Coach (McDaniel) was like, ‘look, I’m coming to you no matter what.’ And the rest of the guys were all right, ‘Reek,’ we’re going to block for you. Just make sure you get three yards right here. And it was a thing of beauty. Like those guys made my job real easy, and I did, like, a counter, came back out, called a quick screen. And it was a wide-open scene. I’ve got to give credit to the guys up front and also the receivers blocking downfield. It was a thing of beauty. Right after the play one of the DBs came up to me and said, ‘y’all really ran a screen, bro?’ I was, like, ‘yeah, anything is possible with this offense.’ We kind of caught them off guard.
Q. What did you have to go through this week just to play?
TYREEK HILL: I had to go through a lot of therapy with Kyle (Johnston). I don’t like spending time with Kyle, although he’s, like, my favorite guy in the building outside of football. So just that right there, just mentally preparing and taking a lot of vitamin Ts.
Q. Life will give you the same lessons until you pass the test. Next week you guys have a match-up with Baltimore and a lot is at stake. Given that opportunity again, are you guys thinking about not taking that for granted and approaching the week with focus?
TYREEK HILL: Each and every game is an opportunity for us to prove that we are one of the best teams in the AFC. So I believe going against the Ravens will be a good test. Looking forward to it. They’ve got a good defense, real good team at that. It’s going to be fun. We can’t take no match-up lightly. They’ve got some very good players over there, good schemes, great head coach. So it’s definitely a challenge for us on both sides of the ball. All three phases, because they really emphasis special teams, all three phases. It’s going to be a real good game, down in Baltimore. Is it a night game? All right. So it’s going to be dope. Hopefully it don’t rain.
Q. You mentioned special teams there. What about the game Jason Sanders had? You got some love for your kicker?
TYREEK HILL: Yeah, he had a phenomenal game. I told him maybe we’ll bring the ping-pong table back. (laughter)
Q. You clinched a playoff spot. It doesn’t happen often here, but it seems like you guys have the bigger goals. Why is the mindset like it is? Seems like it should be a big for celebration.
TYREEK HILL: Yeah, I feel the same way. Obviously nobody’s going to remember the Miami Dolphins making the playoffs when it’s time, when February comes around. It’s always about winning the big game. And that’s where our mind is at right now. And we know we’ve got to team to do it. A lot of people have been saying we can’t beat good teams and feel like today we kind of showed that. So we can scratch that off the box. Now we just are looking for Stephen A. and Shannon Sharpe and I wonder what Skip Bayless is going to say ‘First Take.’ So interesting.
Q. You guys put up a lot of yards and 22 points with I think half of your offense was missing, offensive line was Armstead and a bunch of backups today. Did the resilience of this offense, you’re still able to put points on the board with guys that weren’t supposed to be starters going into the season?
TYREEK HILL: Our offensive line coach, he is one of the coolest guys on our team. Like he does a great job of just coaching those guys. I sometimes, just during practice, I go over there and watch him coach because he’s one of my favorite coaches, like the way he coaches those guys and the way he challenges those guys over there. You know football is all about next man up. Whenever guys get their opportunity. It’s all about playing for one another and they do a good job of protecting Tua.
Q. How much more enjoyable will Christmas be tomorrow?
TYREEK HILL: It’s going to be fun, man. My grandma is in town. I haven’t seen my grandmother in a year. So I’m very excited about that. I’m just happy. I’ve been in the holiday spirit all week. My grandma is in town. She kind of surprised me. Sweet potato pie. You know grandma, she brought it all the way from South Georgia. So really looking forward to that now.
Q. Talk about Tua’s demeanor in the huddle on that last drive, in a drive like that, that is as important as the last one. And how has that changed from the first time you have been in a position with him like that?
TYREEK HILL: Tua was turned up towards the end of the game. Towards the end of the game he was getting guys going, he was getting guys rolling. I love to see it. I love to see that kind of intensity, especially out of Tua. Digging into guys a-holes and getting guys lined up and stuff like that, making sure we’re operating properly and getting in and out of the huddle. So it was a nice thing to see. I almost had words with him because I almost – ‘my bad bro, I’m jogging out the huddle’ so it’s a thing of beauty, man.
