Tyreek Hill deserves Pro Bowl recognition as a wide receiver

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill has made a name for himself as a return specialist, but will that overshadow his elite skills as a wide receiver?

Since being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016, wide receiver Tyreek Hill has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League. That’s not some hot take; the stats tell the story. Yet somehow, even in his third year in the league, Hill still faces an uphill climb for league-wide recognition of his talents at wideout.

As of Week 12, Hill is 3rd in the NFL with 1,106 receiving yards, behind only Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (1,138) and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (1,305). He also has 11 receiving touchdowns on the year, which is tied with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown for most in the league (as of Week 12). So, why didn’t the National Football League include Tyreek Hill on their initial Pro Bowl voting list as a wide receiver?

The oversight here, although since corrected, was egregious on the NFL’s part. Hill is in the top 5 in 7 different NFL stats for wide receivers, including receptions of 40+ yards (leads league), yards per game (3rd), and longest yards gained on one reception (T-7th). He made the 2016 Pro Bowl and the 2017 Pro Bowl as a return specialist for his performance in both the 2016 and 2017 NFL seasons, but credit should be given where credit is due. Hill is currently the top-voted return specialist for the 2018 Pro Bowl with 137,632 votes as of November 27th. Will he once again be relegated to the side with special teams?

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Hill could quite possibly shatter Chiefs records with quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center this season. Former Chiefs wide receiver Derrick Alexander currently holds the record for most receiving yards in a single season for the franchise with 1,391. Hill currently has 1,106 receiving yards and is on pace for 1,608, which would shatter Alexander’s record. But, wait, there’s more!

Former Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe set the record for most touchdown receptions in 2010 with 15. Hill currently has 11 touchdown receptions, and there are still 5 games left for the season. If he stays on his current pace of at least 1 touchdown per game, he will have at least 16 touchdown receptions, which would set a Chiefs record.

The stat sheets say it loudly that Tyreek Hill has entered the conversation as a top 10 or even top 5 NFL wide receiver. I almost see it as asinine that he wasn’t even listed at first. The only excuse I could think of them using was that he had been a return specialist in the two previous Pro Bowls, yet he is officially listed as a wide receiver and continues to dominate as such. It’s almost as if his own dominance in one category is overshadowing his production in another.

In the AFC, Hill leads all wide receivers in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns (T-1st with Antonio Brown), receptions of 20+ yards, receptions of 40+ yards, yards per game (100.5), 3rd in 1st down receptions, and has 0 fumbles on the year. Simply put, according to statistics Hill has been perhaps the best wide receiver in the AFC. While credit may not be given where it is justly due, the young, speedy wide receiver deserves to be recognized for his eliteness.

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Although the NFL corrected their mistake and listed Hill as a wide receiver in addition to a return specialist, it’s still somewhat ridiculous how they had ‘forgotten’ to put him on the list at his respective position in the first place. In doing so, they perhaps gave the rest of the wide receivers a head start in the Pro Bowl voting list, meaning fans will have had less time to vote for Hill in the short 4 weeks that voting is up. Notwithstanding his game-breaking speed, Hill’s skills and quality-of-play at wide receiver deserve to be recognized.

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