MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Tyreek Hill’s refusal to cooperate with Miami-Dade police led to his brief detainment just hours before he took the field for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
That’s all according to Steadman Stahl, who leads the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, the union representing Miami-Dade police officers.
“He (Hill) was briefly detained for officer safety, after driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great risk of danger,” Stahl wrote in a statement Monday. “Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs.”
Hill told reporters during a postgame conference that he was cautious when police stopped him, keeping his hands on the wheel as Miami-Dade officers informed him he was pulled over for speeding and accused of reckless driving. He claimed that he had no idea why officers placed him in handcuffs.
“I wasn’t disrespectful... because my mom didn’t raise me that way, didn’t curse, none of that,” Hill said.
The incident took place just outside Hard Rock Stadium, just hours before the Dolphins took the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hill was detained for questioning but was later released without charges.
During the game, Hill shined with an 80-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter of the Dolphins’ 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He placed his hands behind his back while celebrating the score. After the game, Hill said it was a planned celebration. When asked about his detention, he said, “What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?”
Hill said he wants to turn his experience into something positive. Miami-Dade Police Director Stephanie V. Daniels released a statement reporting she had initiated an internal investigation to thoroughly review the police officer’s actions during Hill’s detention.
“I’m committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers,” Daniels said.
The Miami Dolphins also released a statement reporting police officers had pulled over Hill for a traffic incident about a block from the stadium after a witness’s video went viral on X and Instagram.
“Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support,” the team’s spokesperson wrote in the statement.
The teammates included defensive tackle Calais Campbell, who said a police officer ordered him to stand back, accused him of disobeying a direct order, and handcuffed him.
“He said I was too close to the scene and then I think he said something about me not moving my car in time. He told me later I could stay 25 feet away... and I was definitely 25 feet away when it happened,” Campbell said after the game.
The police officers let Hill and Campbell go. Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith said he also stopped to support Hill.
“I was checking on my teammate... there were some words said. I wanted to make sure he was good... just concerned about his safety,” Smith said. “Obviously, we all see the police brutality... that goes on in this country... and when you see your teammate possibly being a part of that... you are doing everything in your power to help.”
Hill was later with his agent Drew Rosenhaus near a group of police officers on the sidewalk just outside the stadium. No one was injured. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said he was proud of Campbell and Smith for supporting their teammate.
“Tyreek was just trying to get to work, trying to play a game, just trying to do his job, for police officers to detain to handcuff him, to put him on the ground like that to put your knee on him, to hit him, is just devastating,” said Rosenhaus on Sunday.
McDaniel also told reporters Monday that he was “upset” over the situation and got emotional thinking about what it was like for players to be in a spot like that.
“Super proud of guys understanding the civic responsibility of a platform and doing right by that. Not just players speaking out, but teammates (were) there for Hill,” said McDaniel at Monday’s press conference. “I’m very proud that they see each other as teammates and hold that in regard the way they do.”
The NFL is reportedly monitoring the situation as part of its standard review process when players have interactions with law enforcement.
When body cameras were first introduced in Miami-Dade County in 2016, they were touted as a tool to provide greater transparency for the public.
In Hill’s case, Miami-Dade police initially said they wouldn’t release the body camera footage until the internal affairs investigation is complete, but they released several clips of the incident late Monday afternoon.
The initial message contrasted with other agencies, such as the Broward Sheriff’s Office, which recently released body camera footage just hours after a police-involved shooting where the suspect survived.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami-Dade Public Safety Chief James Reyes both released statements after the Miami Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-17, and both commended Daniels for initiating the investigation.
“The internal review process will answer questions about why the troubling actions shown in public video footage were taken by the officer,” Levine Cava said Sunday. “We will continue to keep our community informed about this process and findings will be made available.”
Read Stahl’s full statement below.
