The Kansas City Chiefs made it clear on Thursday that Tyreek Hill would remain in his familiar role as punt returner for another season.
Tyreek Hill has shed as much of his secondary duties as he can for the Kansas City Chiefs. From this point forward, it looks like the Chiefs will continue to employ Hill as their punt returner in addition to being the top wide receiver.
Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub clarified the team’s special teams plans to the media on Thursday by confirming that Hill would remain in the punt return role and that De’Anthony Thomas and Tremon Smith would share kick return duties.
Hill is a two-time Pro Bowler and former All Pro who made significant impact right out of the gate during his rookie season when he ran back 2 punts for touchdowns and another kickoff return for a touchdown. The Chiefs scaled back his workload in 2017 to help him adjust to playing No. 1 wide receiver—to which he converted beautifully. Questions arose as to whether or not the Chiefs would dissolve all extra special teams responsibilities in the name of advancing him even further as a wide receiver.
As for kick returner where Hill once held the primary post, rookie cornerback Tremon Smith, the second fastest player on the team per Toub, is splitting the reps with holdover De’Anthony Thomas for the next calendar year unless something odd happens.
HIll returned 25 punts last year an average of 8.2 yards/carry. He also ran one back for a touchdown, giving him 4 special teams touchdown returns in his two-year career. Thomas has 1 kick return for a touchdown in his career, but it came back during his own rookie campaign in 2014. Smith will be learning on the fly as the Chiefs decide to give him opportunities.