Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has denied allegations of domestic violence made by his estranged wife, Keeta (Lakeeta) Vaccaro, who filed for divorce earlier this year. In new court filings obtained by TMZ, Vaccaro accused Hill of committing eight separate violent acts during their 17-month marriage, including an alleged January 2024 incident just two months after their wedding.
Vaccaro described Hill’s alleged behavior as “extreme, outrageous, beyond all bounds of decency, and utterly intolerable in a civilized community.”
Hill’s attorneys strongly pushed back on the claims, calling them an attempt to pressure the star receiver into a large settlement.
“The new allegations that Ms. Vaccaro and her counsel chose to bring forward are unsubstantiated, untrue, and designed to generate bad media coverage for Mr. Hill while pressuring him into a large settlement offer — one we believe Ms. Vaccaro does not deserve in this 17-month marriage,” Hill’s attorney Julius Collins said in a statement.
Lawyers Claim “Smear Campaign”
Hill’s divorce lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, also criticized the timing and nature of the allegations.
“The allegations are false, spurious, and aim to shake down Mr. Hill for money,” Gottlieb said. “We have no intention of trying this case in the media, and we are certain the court will clear Mr. Hill because he is innocent.”
Court filings show Hill already provided Vaccaro with $500,000 in support, plus an offer of $100,000 to purchase a vehicle. Vaccaro is now seeking $1.1 million in her divorce settlement.
“These new allegations further prove that Ms. Vaccaro and/or her counsel are running a smear campaign in hopes that Mr. Hill will settle and give her and her counsel an unreasonable and unwarranted amount of money,” Hill’s legal team added.
Vaccaro’s Lawyer Pushes Back
Vaccaro’s attorney, Evan Marks, disputed Hill’s denials, writing in an email to USA TODAY Sports that her amended petition is “verified – meaning that she has sworn that the allegations contained therein are true and correct.”
“Evidence will be presented to a jury who will then decide whether Ms. Vaccaro is entitled to be compensated for the damages that she sustained due to the conduct of Mr. Hill as alleged,” Marks wrote.
A Zoom hearing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 15, one day after the Dolphins host the New England Patriots in Week 2.
A Turbulent Off-Field Track Record
The allegations arrive as Hill, 31, faces mounting scrutiny off the field. In June 2023, he got into a physical altercation with a South Florida marina employee, and a separate lawsuit accuses him of breaking a social media influencer’s leg that same month. He also lost his captaincy role with the Dolphins this offseason after making comments that suggested he did not want to remain in Miami, despite signing a three-year, $90 million extension last season.
On-field Struggles Continue
Once considered among the NFL’s top wideouts, Hill’s recent production has dipped. After back-to-back career highs with the Dolphins in 2022 (1,710 yards) and 2023 (1,799 yards), he dropped to 959 yards in 2024. His struggles continued into the new season, catching only four passes for 40 yards in Miami’s 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1.
