Dolphins predicted to make heartbreaking $16M Tyreek Hill contract decision after brutal injury

The Miami Dolphins picked up their first win last Monday against the New York Jets. After a string of bad luck with injuries this season, the victory was a welcome relief. However, the game came with a devastating blow: a gruesome injury to star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who required emergency knee surgery.

“Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill has torn multiple ligaments in his dislocated knee, including his ACL, ending his season and giving him a long road ahead for 2026, source says. He’ll have surgery today to repair the significant injury,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport posted.

Hill’s injury creates a major hole in the Dolphins' offense, as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa loses one of his most explosive weapons. There’s no official timetable for Hill’s return, and the Dolphins now face a critical decision on how to proceed—possibly with a big roster move.

“The fact that the Dolphins haven’t made a move at WR on a short week might hint that Chris Grier has something up his sleeve. Mike McDaniel kinda hinted at that. Losing Tyreek Hill isn’t a ‘next man up’ situation. It’s a ‘we’ll have to change everything’ situation,” Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly wrote.

Complicating matters further, many around the league believe the Dolphins will likely release Hill before March.

“An outright release before the start of the 2026 league year was always on the table regardless of injury due to how Hill's contract is structured. The 2026 contract year has $29.9 million in non-guaranteed base salary, including $11 million in guaranteed salary if Hill is on the roster on the third day of the 2026 league year. A $5 million roster bonus is due on the same day, meaning that the Dolphins would guarantee Hill $16 million if he's on the roster come March 14. League sources view it as next to impossible the Dolphins would guarantee such money when Hill won't be able to pass a physical at that point,” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones wrote.

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Hill had been trying to turn the page after controversial comments at the end of last season, but this injury may have sealed his fate in Miami. His massive contract now looks like the likely downfall of his Dolphins career.

Perhaps the team will wait to evaluate his recovery before making a final decision, but for now, all signs point to Hill being cut.