Can veteran Hill overcome injury setbacks?
Mike Florio reacts to updates shared by Tyreek Hill as he continues to recover from injuries, where only "time will tell" if the veteran wide receiver will be able to recapture his old form.
Video Transcript
Plenty of recognizable names at receiver that are available in free agency.
There's been plenty of talk about Stephon Diggs.
Devo Samuel recently commented on his readiness to sign with the right team at the right time.
Tyreek Hill has kind of been forgotten, which is stunning when you consider how good he has been during his time in the NFL, both with the Chiefs and with the Miami Dolphins.
He had that gruesome and very serious knee injury last September, a Monday night game between the Dolphins and the Jets.
Let's hear from Tyreek Hill directly on where things stand as he tries to get himself back into full football shape.
So it's about 10 months after doing two surgeries.
My left leg is the one that I injured.
I have no power in my left leg at all, so I'm trying to regain all the power back in my left leg.
But it's one day at a time.
I have no power in my left leg.
Now, that may be a little bit of an exaggeration.
He's moving, but it's the explosion that you want to be able to muster from your legs.
That's how he gets open.
That's how he jumps up and makes those catches.
That's how he's been a dominant receiver, the best in the NFL for stretches during the time that he has been in the league.
It just gives you an idea that he's still got work to do to get back to being ready to go.
And the question is whether or not following that injury, there's going to be a ceiling that is going to be lower than what it was prior to the injury.
He may find that he reaches a point where this is as good as it's ever going to be.
And although my situation with my back is completely unrelated to what he went through, I know what it did to my right leg, and I know specifically what it's done to my right knee.
And my right knee, there was a period of time where it felt like there was a five-pound weight inside of it.
It was unstable, and through physical therapy and exercise I do at home, it's gradually getting a little bit better, a little bit better, a little bit better.
But I wonder, is it ever going to be the same as the left knee again?
And I think that when you consider the seriousness of the injury that he suffered, is there a point where this is as good as it's going to be?
Whether it's long-term or whether it's just for this year.
Is he going to get to a point where this is as healthy as I'm going to be this year?
Do I try to play like this, or do I just wait until next year?
No one knows the body like the person who's in it.
He'll know.
And it's unfortunate, but it's one of the realities of playing football, and that's the other point that he needs to keep in mind.
If he does go out and play with that knee somewhere below 100% full power, does he get injured again?
And if you're playing at a lower capacity than what you're used to, how does that change your overall effectiveness?
Do you even want to go out there if you're less than what you know you're capable of being?
So I know that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has said multiple times he'll be ready to go.
It sure sounds like he's not ready to go.
And the question becomes, when will he be ready to go?
He's clearly going to do everything he can to try.
He's putting in the work, but he's in his 30s.
He's had that injury.
There's a point where you just can't do what you used to do.
And when you have that serious injury, that may make that day come sooner than it otherwise would have naturally arrived.
So, hey, it'd be great to see him back on the field.
We know what he can do.
We know what a difference maker he can be.
And it's a shame when any athlete has that kind of injury.
But to have the remaining years that he would have otherwise been playing at a very high level, contributing to our collective enjoyment of watching football games, time will tell whether or not those days ever come back.
