Tyreek Hill – November 21, 2024
Download PDF version
Thursday, November 21, 2024
WR Tyreek Hill
(It’s obviously been going well with long efficient drives, but at some point knowing that you guys second-to-fewest 20-plus-yard passing plays in the league this year, at some point will a big play be needed?) – “Of course. We’re always looking for big plays and obviously Tua (Tagovailoa) understands what he has to work with whenever he’s on the field. So whenever that time comes, he’s going to take a shot so just waiting on our moment.”
(We’ve seen a lot of receivers in the league over many years, if they don’t get a lot of targets they’ll complain. Are you impressed with how you and WR Jaylen Waddle have handled from a maturity standpoint this year in terms of not having a tirade obviously about not catching a ton of passes?) – “We don’t really care about none of that. As long as we’re winning, plus we already got our back end so we’re good. I feel like a lot of people get football mixed up with stats and worrying about what a guy is doing instead of worrying about the win-loss column. I was just saying this to my dad the other day. I said, ‘A lot of people have stake in the game that I grew up loving so much and turning into betting and turning it into fantasy numbers and stuff like that.’ It’s like I can’t even enjoy a day out with my wife and my kids. Somebody is always walking up to me and is like, ‘I drafted you No. 1 and you’ve having the worst fantasy season of your career.’ And it’s like, ‘Bro, I do not literally care.’ I’m with my family. It’s like bro, the only thing I care about is the Miami Dolphins winning games and me and ‘J. Dub’ (Jaylen Waddle), we obviously understand that. If that means we’ve got to block a thousand times to get teams out of Cover 2 or Cover 4 or whatever the case may be, we’ll do that. We’ll come down and crack some safeties or pin some d-ends, whatever we’ve got to do. So all for the team.”
(Is that the product of that 54-yard TE Jonnu Smith touchdown, was everybody went up to get the guys up front and then he was wide open?) – “I mean, we went back and watched it on film. I feel like that was just a miscommunication by their defense obviously. If you go back and watch it, they actually doubled Julian Hill on that play. It was two guys on Julian Hill. It was No. 44 and the safety was rotating down doubling Julian Hill and then I was manned up on the corner.”
(And one guy went up on motion…) – “See a lot of people, they don’t be respecting Julian Hill. They doubled him on that play. But I’ve been saying that all week. A lot of people have been ignoring me. Go back and watch it.”
(You said you want to keep the winning going. What is the mindset now getting ready to face the Patriots on Sunday?) – “The mindset is obviously we’re in playoff football right now. We’ve got to continue to play ball. Can’t lose a game and we obviously know that. Our backs are against the wall, so that’s the mindset. Guys are preparing like it at practice. The preparation has been great. Guys have been flying across the field on defense so it’s been a great week of preparation so far.”
(The Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, there was a funny clip where it looked like after TE Jonnu Smith was running, you maybe said something to him. What went on there?) – “Their whole sideline was telling me the whole game, like saying, ‘Oh, jam him up, jam him up, he can’t get off a jam.’ So when Jonnu was open I was like, ‘oops, sorry.’ So it was great, it was a great moment, man. Football is always fun especially in a moment like that when your teammate is scoring and then you’re obviously on their sideline so I get a chance to talk trash. Nothing against Coach Pierce, he’s obviously a great coach. He’s been doing a great job with that team, so it was nothing.”
(What did you think of that first touchdown TE Jonnu Smith caught? He throws the ball up in the stands and it lands with his family?) – “That’s crazy. Now that’s next level, but that’s truly amazing for that to happen because I feel like I had a similar situation and the fan took the ball from me for my mom. But for that happened to Jonnu, that’s amazing, man.”
(You had to be pretty confident that he was going to outrun all those DBs because you knew it was a score.) – “Jonnu (Smith) is fast, believe it or not. I really think Jonnu can run like a low 4.3. He’s that fast and the way Coach (McDaniel) uses him, he does a great job of using him, putting him in situations to make plays that I’ve never seen before. So Jonnu, he’s a real special guy.”
(So no doubt, you knew he was gone.) – “I knew he was gone. No doubt. It’s like Steph Curry when he’s shooting a three and Klay Thompson and everybody is like this. (laughter) I already know.”
(What do you like about WR Malik Washington and his potential long-term and his skill set?) – “I was talking to Wes (Welker) about this and I’m like, Malik (Washington) is one of those guys that can play in the league for a long time, because obviously he’s smart, but he’s one of those guys that he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. He’ll go in and block a d-end, block a linebacker and then he’ll come and then make a clutch third-down catch, and that kind of reminded me of me my rookie year coming into the league. I had to do some of those similar things and it kind of developed my game a lot and it kind of gave me the trust of the coaches amongst the staff in Kansas City. So Malik, he’s a hard worker, very coachable guy. Loves the game, always the first one in meetings, always. And he’s just one of those guys that every receiver coach wants in his room because he’s eager to learn, always asking questions, too many questions, but he’s going to play in this league a long time.”
(Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith was saying today that he’s seen QB Tua Tagovailoa grow in the area of scramble drill. Tell me about that.) – “Yeah, my biggest thing is he’s not fat anymore so he can move. He’s more mobile. I don’t know what more to say. He looks amazing. I don’t know what to say. (laughter)”
(Do you encourage him to continue to look for you guys and…?) – “Yes. Yes, I do. I think that’s where the big plays happen, and obviously Tua knows that whenever we’re down the field and he breaks outside the pocket, it’s very hard for a defensive back to keep up with whoever it is – me, (Jaylen) Waddle, Odell (Beckham Jr.), Jonnu (Smith), De’Von (Achane), whoever it is – down the field, because those extended plays are the ones that we really want and something that we’ve been harping on this whole entire offseason.”
(What does WR River Cracraft bring now that he’s back? A guy who you’re always taking first in your wide receiver draft with WR Jaylen Waddle.) – “Well, all I’ve got to say is we’re undefeated with River Cracraft back. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
