The Miami-Dade Police Department placed an officer on administrative leave Sunday after Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill was detained prior to the start of the season-opening game.
On Sunday morning, just hours before kickoff, Hill was detained for a short time by police after a traffic incident, the team said on social media. Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) Director Stephanie V. Daniels said Sunday an investigation has begun into the incident and one of the officers involved is being placed on administrative duties. A second Dolphins player said he was also handcuffed when trying to discuss the situation with officers at the scene.
“Following the incident involving Tyreek Hill, I have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation to ensure a thorough review of the matter. One of the officers involved in the incident has been placed on administrative duties while the investigation is conducted,” Daniels said in a statement. “I’m committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers.”
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In a statement, Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava praised the “immediate steps” taken by the MDPD in the aftermath of the incident.
“In recent years our nation has confronted important conversations on the use of force, and 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 on Instagram.
“We will continue to keepour community informed about this process and findings will be made available – critical to maintaining the public trust that MDPD has earned with our community. I look forward to learning more from the internal review process and to updating the public as the review concludes.”
Hill won’t soon forget the start of the 2024-25 season. After being detained, his day ended with a comeback win against the Jacksonville Jaguars that featured a “handcuffs” celebration after scoring a key touchdown.
The “Cheetah” said after the game he was still confused by his pregame encounter with police.
“I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way, didn’t cuss, didn’t do none of that. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out,” Hill said at his postgame press conference.
Hill, 30, is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, leading the league in receiving yards last season with 1,799 yards, while also adding 13 touchdowns. The Dolphins played the Jacksonville Jaguars in their Week 1 game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Showcasing his trademark speed, Hill found the end zone in the third quarter against the Jaguars, connecting with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for an 80-yard score. After scoring, Hill celebrated by putting his arms behind his back with his wrists together – perhaps an allusion to being in handcuffs earlier in the day.
In the end, the Dolphins overcame a 14-0 deficit to win the game 20-17 on a 52-yard field goal from Jason Sanders as time expired.Hill finished the game with seven catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
It’s still unclear exactly what led to Hill being detained by police. The team said on social media before the game he was pulled over by police for a traffic incident.
“This morning, WR Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic incident about one block from the stadium and briefly detained by police,” the Dolphins X account said.
“He has since been released. Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support. Tyreek and all other players involved have safely arrived to the stadium and will be available for today’s game.”
Reported video of the incident appeared to show a handcuffed Hill being picked up off the road by police.
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told CNN in a statement Sunday night his legal team will “pursue this matter” and “consider legal action.”
“What happened today to Tyreek at the stadium is completely unacceptable,” Rosenhaus said. “Tyreek did not deserve to be treated that way by the police involved.”
CNN has reached out to Rosenhaus for more information.
After the game, Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell said he was also put in handcuffs by police when he attempted to intercede and “deescalate” the situation.
“They put handcuffs on me too, and I was like ‘What’s going on?’ I didn’t understand what the issue was,” Campbell told NFL Network. “For him to put handcuffs on me, I felt some type of way.
“But that just goes to show how our resilience though. We didn’t let that stop us. We just got back in line, got focused again, and went out there and played a good football game. But that definitely was an interesting way to start a ballgame.”
Hill said he was moved by the show of support from his teammates.
“That should tell you everything you need to know,” Hill said after the game. “I’m just glad that my teammates were there to support me in that situation because I felt alone. And when they showed up, it made me realized that we got a f–king good team this year. For them to put their life on the line.”
Earlier Sunday, Rosenhaustold ESPN the incident began as a traffic stop when Hill was driving to the stadium.
“Apparently, he got a ticket for a moving violation entering the stadium,” Rosenhaus told ESPN. “How things escalated into the situation that they were in, in handcuffs and being held on the ground with police is mind-boggling to me.”
“We are aware of the recent detainment of Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill by Miami-Dade Police Department officers,” Daniels said in an earlier statement. “I have requested an immediate review of all details surrounding the incident, and we are also reviewing available body camera footage. We will provide updates as further information becomes available.”
CNN has reached out to the police for more information.
Rosenhaus confirmed to ESPN he has spoken with Hill and shared his client’s account of the incident.
“He was given a moving violation ticket, and he’s going to focus on the game and then we’ll address this afterwards,” Rosenhaus told ESPN.
Rosenhaus said the altercation left Hill rattled.
“The most important thing is that Tyreek is okay physically. Mentally, he was very distraught about what happened,” Rosenhaus told ESPN. “Tyreek has told me over and over he’s a big supporter of police. He was telling the police there, ‘I want to be a police officer in the future.’ But this is crazy, I’ve never seen anything like this.”
In a separate interview with CBS Sports, Rosenhaus said his client was left feeling “stunned” and “very emotional” after the incident. “He had no idea why it escalated to that extent. He felt it was very inappropriate, but we’ll be dealing with that after the game.”
Hill was a “consummate professional,” Rosenhaus said.
“He’s a very strong man, and I’m confident he’ll pull it together and be at his best today,” he said.
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CNN’s Homero De La Fuente contributed to this report.
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