NFL star Tyreek Hill sparked genuine confusion among fans after he smiled and blew kisses to the crowd while being carted off the field with a season-ending injury.
Following his injury, Hill was taken to a local hospital, where sources close to the team confirmed the 31-year-old suffered a dislocated knee, which likely included multiple torn ligaments.
And Tyreek Hill is not the only standout NFL player who has been severely injured this season. New York Giants star Malik Nabers has also been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL on Sunday, September 28.
During Monday night’s game between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, Hill suffered a brutal injury no athlete ever wants to experience. His injury occurred early in the third quarter, according to ESPN, when Hill caught a pass from the Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa on third down. On contact, Hill’s left leg was twisted underneath him as he was tackled out of bounds.
While medical professionals rushed to Hill’s aid and placed an air cast on his leg, cameras captured the Super Bowl Champion displaying what many believe to be bizarre behavior: smiling, waving, and even blowing kisses to fans as he was carted off the field.
His reaction left some inside the stadium and online confused, prompting assumptions that Hill was genuinely excited about his season being over, considering he’s been vocal about his frustrations with the Dolphins’ organization.
Hill’s wild reaction also caught the attention of the Monday Night Football commentators. On social media, many users theorized that Hill’s strangely positive display of emotion was because he would no longer have to play for the Dolphins this season.
“Tyreek Hill just snapped his leg but is smiling on the cart cause he don’t gotta play with Tua the rest of the season,” someone wrote, to which another user replied with a screenshot of Hill appearing to be smiling while holding his hands in the air.
“Tyreek Hill is not real man LMAOOOO,” they wrote.
And that sentiment was echoed up and down X, formerly Twitter, with another user writing, “Tyreek Hill might be the happiest injured dude I ever seen in my life.”
Another user posted, “I’ve never seen someone happier to get injured than Tyreek Hill. That was interesting.”
Despite the narratives, Hill’s head coach, Mike McDaniel, opened up with reporters after the game about Hill’s condition and also shed light on his state of mind following the saddening news.
According to a report from the NFL, head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed that Hill’s energy was surprisingly high following the injury.
“He was probably in the best spirits of any player that I’ve ever, it’s such a terrible experience when you go out and see guys when they have issues like that, but he immediately had wide eyes and was talking, ‘I’m good. Just make sure the guys get this win.’ He was focused on the team,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel added that Hill’s attitude after the heartbreaking play had a positive impact on the rest of his team, who went on to secure the win against the Jets in a 27-21 showdown.
“I saw him make eye contact and rip a joke or two to [Jaylen] Waddle and De’Von [Achane], and I think a lot of guys got back into the game, provoked by what he said verbally. We talked a lot about all the stuff that Tyreek has done this offseason, and a big portion is leading by example and connecting with his teammates, and he kind of utilized that connectivity to make sure that his team was finishing on the right end,” McDaniel said.
He continued, “He was inspiring in that situation, and I think his teammates benefited from that.”
The fan theories that Hill was happy to be done with the season were fueled by his own comments from January 2025, where he hinted at leaving Miami for greener pastures.
“This is my first time I haven’t been in the playoffs, man. So I just got to do what’s best for me and my family. If that’s here or wherever the case may be, I’m finna open that door for myself. I’m opening the door. I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I gotta do what’s best for my career because I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there,” he said.
Days later, however, Hill retracted his comments and emphasized his commitment to his team and those connected to the Dolphins organization.
“I’m taking full accountability of what I said,” Hill said before speaking about his team. “They’ve been very good to me. So why am I going to go out and say some of the things that I said? And I fully take it back.”
“I’m gonna come back next year,” Hill shared, “and bust my tail, for the team, for the guys, for the fans, for the whole city.”
Hill isn’t the only NFL star who suffered disastrous injuries during the week, as New York Giants star Malik Nabers also went down with a torn ACL.
According to ESPN, Nabers’ injury occurred while attempting to secure a deep ball during Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He reportedly reached for his right leg as he was airborne before landing hard on the ground.
Members of the Giants team surrounded Nabers before he was carted from the field.