Dolphins’ WR Tyreek Hill opens up about possible retirement after season-ending injury

The Miami Dolphins have had a year to forget, sitting at 1-6. It hasn’t helped that they’ve been without star wide receiver Tyreek Hill for more than a month — and for the rest of the season.

Hill went down on Sept. 29 against the New York Jets with a serious left-knee injury that forced him to be carted off the field. The result was a torn ACL for the 31-year-old speedster.

At his age and a decade into his NFL career, the question quickly surfaced after his diagnosis: will Hill consider retirement? He recently addressed that topic with former Dolphins teammate Terron Armstead on Armstead’s podcast, The Set.

“At the end of the day, I feel like that decision is based upon how I feel and where my mindset is at the moment,” Hill said on the podcast, which was released Thursday evening. “I’m happy with the career that I’ve had. I love playing football. I love it, but it takes a lot. It takes a lot on you mentally, it takes a lot on you physically.

“I’m at the point now where I need to have a conversation with mom, family, everybody. Wherever my mind is at the time, the decision will be made, but I know right now, I haven’t had time to live in the moment.”

Hill has accomplished nearly everything possible in his 10-year career. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs.

For his career, Hill has 819 receptions for 11,363 yards and 90 total touchdowns.

Tyreek Hill describes his injury vs. Jets

When Hill went down on the sideline that night against the Jets, it was immediately clear something was wrong. The broadcast replay showed his leg in an awkward position once he rolled over.

“When I got tackled, I immediately tried to get up … I’d seen that my leg was crooked,” Hill said. “I immediately started laughing because I’ve been able to play this game for 10 years, really my entire life, and I’ve been blessed with great talents and great gifts. The amount of support I get from my family — it’s amazing. So I really wasn’t even thinking about the injury. I was thinking about the great times I’ve had playing this game.”

Hill’s reaction was unusual, to say the least. As he was carted to the locker room with his injured leg already in an air cast, cameras caught him smiling — a rare sight for an athlete who had just suffered a torn ACL. Then again, Hill isn’t like most athletes.

Now, the question is whether Hill can recover like most players who have endured this kind of injury. Recovery can take up to a year depending on severity. Hill remains under contract with the Dolphins for one more season, worth $29.9 million, per Spotrac.