Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a touchdown pass while being pushed by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) during the first half of an NFL game on Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill pointed to his limited practice reps with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as the reason for three key dropped passes during Sunday’s 29-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Two of those drops could have been touchdowns, leaving Hill taking full responsibility for the missed opportunities.
“I feel like, at the end of the day, I need those valuable reps with Tua,” Hill said postgame. “Those vet rest days are starting to show. I completely blame myself for not getting my head around and not seeing the ball because, if I see a ball, we’re talking cross-court, 70-yard touchdown. But those Wednesday reps are definitely showing. As a leader, I’ve just got to be able to bite the bullet sometime and practice and get those valuable reps with QB1 because, if we’re able to stay on the field on third down, who knows what could happen.”
Key Moments in the Game
Hill dropped a crucial third-down pass on Miami’s opening drive. Later in the first quarter, he dropped another third-down pass in the end zone, though 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir tipped the ball just before it reached Hill.
Another third-quarter end zone target to Hill slipped through his hands, forcing the Dolphins to settle for field goals on both occasions.
Injury Impact
Hill, listed as questionable for the game due to a lingering wrist injury, has missed multiple Wednesday practices over the past month. He participated fully on Thursday before being limited on Friday in the week leading up to the game.
The wrist injury has been a factor since Week 7, with Hill listed as limited or worse in at least one practice each week. Despite this, he remains committed to addressing his struggles by increasing his practice workload.
“On the deep ball, it was tipped by the defensive back, and on the other one, it’s just, again, missing those valuable reps with the quarterback,” Hill said. “One thing I learned from Coach Reid whenever I was in Kansas City, I was blessed to be able to play under such a great head coach, is you can’t just show up on Sunday. You’ve got to be able to prepare yourself Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, even Saturday. Then when it’s Sunday, it’s easy.
“Once again, us missing those valuable reps because when it’s live speed, everything’s moving so fast. We need those valuable reps whenever it’s Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.”
Declining Production
Hill, who has led the NFL in receiving yards over the past two seasons, recorded just 29 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. He’s on pace for 945 receiving yards this season, which would mark the lowest total of his career as a full-time starter.
The Dolphins’ offense, which led the NFL in passing yards last season, currently ranks 14th in passing yards per game. Their struggles have been evident since Tagovailoa missed four of the first six games with a concussion, and Hill’s production has yet to return to its previous levels.
Coach and QB Weigh In
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged the challenge of balancing rest with preparation but expressed openness to Hill’s desire for more practice time with Tagovailoa.
“You’re trying to yield the best performance on game day, and the great news is when a player on Sunday can feel the rest in a negative way, then you adjust,” McDaniel said. “Whenever it hits a player and they feel that it has accumulated, then you adjust your plans because the idea is, above all else, executing and feeling as convicted and confident on game day. There’s always pros and cons with any sort of rest. Shoot, I want every player to play 100 percent of the practice snaps at full tilt every week. You have an imperfect formula of trying to figure out how to rest guys and what does best for their body.
“I think the adjustment to getting more reps with Tua, that’s an easy one. You know what I’ll do? I’ll say, ‘Hey, get more reps,’ and then they’ll do it.”
Tagovailoa agreed, emphasizing the importance of timing and communication.
“If he told you that, then that’s what we need more of. We need reps. Me and him need more reps,” Tagovailoa said. “That’s what we’ve got to do. That’s the secret sauce to me being able to connect with all these guys. … If we miss a throw, if we’re off on a throw in the team practice or in a routes on-air rep, we’ll get together in whatever time we have, whether it’s after or during, while the defense is on, and we’ll get those reps made up. Telling him what I see and then him also telling me how he feels with running it. That has a lot to do with reps for sure.”
Playoff Hopes
At 6-7, the Dolphins sit two games behind the Denver Broncos for the AFC’s final playoff spot. To make the playoffs, Miami must win out and finish with a better record than the Indianapolis Colts while hoping Denver loses its remaining two games.
With Hill and Tagovailoa focusing on re-establishing their connection, the Dolphins aim to salvage their season and secure their third consecutive playoff appearance.
This report used information from ESPN.
