This season, the Kansas City Chiefs will hope to rebound from a disappointing Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, which seemed to expose all the major flaws of an aging ex-juggernaut. The Chiefs won 15 games a year ago, so we probably shouldn't write them off yet. Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes, after all. But this team isn't the superpower it once was.
One way to restore Kansas City's past greatness, or something close to it, would be a major upgrade to the wide receiver room. With Travis Kelce on the decline, Mahomes just doesn't have the weaponry he once did. Rashee Rice will be suspended at some point this season. Xavier Worthy is electric, and so is Hollywood Brown, but neither projects as a clear WR1 on a Super Bowl contenderr.
Mahomes can make lemons into lemonade better than any other quarterback, but he definitely longs for the days of Tyreek Hill, just like Chiefs fans. Well, what if I said the Chiefs might get a chance to reunite with the eight-time Pro Bowl wideout?
As the Miami Dolphins come apart at the seams, the window of opportunity of a Chiefs-Hill trade is slowly cracking open.
Chiefs' timeline for a Tyreek Hill reunion trade is taking shape
Hill's relationship with the Dolphins continues to sour. He announced his plans to seek a trade at his locker following Miami's Week 18 loss to the Jets. Then he retracted that statement, begging his teammates for forgiveness. Since Hill showed up to training camp, he has irked Mike McDaniel with his opinions on the run game. Tua Tagovailoa has also said that his relationship with Hill is still a work in progress, citing the need for Hill to actively work to earn back his teammates' trust.
The vibes are bad. Plain and simple. As a result, front offices around the league are beginning to circle like vultures, hoping that Miami tires of Hill's abrasive personality.
While Hill probably won't be dealt before the season — Miami still fancies itself a contender, despite evidence to the contrary — there's a decent chance Hill wears out his welcome before the trade deadline. That could line up perfectly for the Chiefs.
Chiefs can wait on Tyreek Hill and pounce during Rashee Rice's suspension
The Chiefs won't want to absorb Hill's salary for an entire season given their loaded cap sheet. Moreover, Kansas City is plenty comfortable coasting through the regular season. This team never slams the gas pedal in September. So why not wait until the deadline, when Miami has paid Hill's salary for half a season, and around the time when Rashee Rice (presumably) will face his long-overdue suspension?
Rice was involved in a serious car accident in March 2024 as a result of street racing. The league has since kicked the can as far down the road as possible, but Hill will finally face a disciplinary hearing on Sept. 30, when the judge is available. That means Rice won't face his suspension until Week 5 of this season, at the earliest.
While the Chiefs will eventually hope to pair Hill and Rice in the event of a trade, it makes sense to pounce when Rice is forced out of commission. That also gives the Dolphins plenty of time to implode and come to the very clear realization that this team, as currently constructed, will never compete for a Super Bowl.