Fansided

Tyreek Hill has proven he doesn’t need Patrick Mahomes

By Matt Verderame

Oct 30, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs with the ball against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs with the ball against the Detroit Lions during the second half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports /
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When Tyreek Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins, many doubted whether he could thrive without Patrick Mahomes. It hasn’t been a problem.

Tyreek Hill is thriving, leading the NFL in receiving with his new-look Miami Dolphins.

Hey, who needs Patrick Mahomes, anyway?

While most receivers would see their numbers suffer badly after losing Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynamic offensive schemes, Hill has proven different.

On Sunday against the Detroit Lions, Hill caught a game-high 12 passes for 188 yards in a 31-27 Dolphins victory. Hill has amassed a league-best 961 receiving yards, putting him on a pace for 2,042. This would shatter the single-season record of 1,964 — albeit accomplished in 16 games — held by Calvin Johnson’s 2012 campaign.

Playing with the triumvirate of Tua Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson, Hill is averaging 10.4 yards per target. In 2021, only three receivers (Deebo Samuel, Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Lockett) had a better figure while totaling at least 100 targets. It would be Hill’s personal best since 2018, his first year with Mahomes.

While Hill enjoyed six phenomenal seasons with Kansas City — resulting in six Pro Bowls, three First-Team All-Pro teams and a Super Bowl ring — this could be his best statistical effort yet.

Over those six campaigns in Kansas City, Hill’s best eight-game stretch saw him total 837 receiving yards, coming in Weeks 8-16 of the 2020 season. Hill has blown past that figure by more than 100 yards in his Miami debut.

Then there’s the monster games we’ve seen from Hill in teal.

Across 91 games with the Chiefs, Hill had six regular-season efforts of 160+ receiving yards. In just eight games with the Dolphins, he’s notched four.

Perhaps Hill’s new opportunity has brought out the best in the NFL’s preeminent weapon, motivating him. This all while getting another brilliant schemer in first-year head coach Mike McDaniel and a speedy threat opposite him in Jaylen Waddle.

Regardless of the reasons for his continued success, Hill has shown he’s an elite player regardless of who he’s catching the ball from. While we’ve seen Davante Adams comparatively struggle with the Las Vegas Raiders and Derek Carr in relation to his halcyon days with Aaron Rodgers, there’s been no drop-off for Hill.

If Miami can make a playoff run, it’ll almost certainly be due in large part to Hill’s ability to create mismatches and subsequently exploit them.

For years, Mahomes and Hill were the best combo in football.

Turns out Hill would have been fine without the best quarterback in football all along.

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