Chiefs have more important reasons to avoid a Tyreek Hill reunion than football

It’s a move that has felt inevitable for months.

Ever since the Miami Dolphins released Tyreek Hill back in February, the wide receiver’s return to the Kansas City Chiefs and the team that drafted him has seemed all but certain.

Now, a reunion feels closer than ever.

Kansas City traded for Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts at the deadline on Tuesday, but the Chiefs still have a lack of depth and a lack of talent at receiver. At this stage, the free agent market is the only place left for Kansas City to turn to for reinforcements.

Meanwhile, Hill is still on the market as he recovers from a serious knee injury he suffered in September last year. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he expects Hill to be medically cleared in the coming weeks and that he has been “working the phones” to find a home for his client.

The Chiefs need another receiver, and Hill needs a team. You can see where this is going. But as the likelihood of Hill’s return to Kansas City grows, so too does a feeling I have toward the idea: I don’t want it to happen.

A cautionary tale

On the field, the move makes sense. With Tyquan Thornton out injured for the foreseeable future, the Chiefs lack a deep threat, and their receivers have consistently struggled to get open against man coverage—two areas Hill has generally excelled at.

Having spent six seasons as a Chief, Hill is familiar with Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Eric Bieniemy and Kansas City’s offense, which would hopefully make it easier to incorporate him into the game plan, something we’ve seen other new receivers struggle with in the past.

But the knee injury should be a major concern. Hill tore his ACL and multiple other ligaments and dislocated his kneecap in this stomach-churning incident from Week 4 last season in what turned out to be his last game for the Dolphins.

In July, Hill said he had “no power” in his injured left leg 10 months after surgery. His recovery would have progressed in the four months since then, but it’s still a worrying admission, and it brings in some doubt over whether Hill will be able to get back to the level he once was.

Another Sneed scenario?

There’s every chance that Hill could be L'Jarius Sneed 2.0, another Chief who returned to the team after an injury ended his stint with his former team.

Sneed has been up and down in his first season back in KC—he was great against the Denver Broncos in Week 1, but he ranked as the Chiefs’ worst player against the Indianapolis Colts and the Seattle Seahawks, according to PFF, and he has missed Kansas City’s last two games.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hill, who at 32 is three years older than Sneed, had a similar experience—some flashes of good but more downs than ups, with health issues keeping him off the field at times.

Even still, Hill unquestionably has far more upside than Sneed, and the potential upside and prospect of more highlight-reel plays and deep touchdowns make it seem like signing him is worth the risk—but there is an even bigger reason the Chiefs should stay away.

A line in the sand

The signing of Justin Tucker last month changed things.

I’ve reached the point where enough is enough. I’m over the Chiefs choosing to employ players who have been accused of or found guilty of doing awful things, especially when it comes to violence against women.

Hill was found liable for two counts of battery by a civil court jury in October, including for an incident in which he allegedly put his hands around his partner’s throat and grabbed and twisted her breasts. Hill was also found not liable by that same jury for eight other claims made against him.

That ruling alone should be reason enough to pass on Hill, but the Chiefs have overlooked similar incidents before. In 2015, Hill pleaded guilty to domestic assault and battery by strangulation involving his then-pregnant girlfriend, but was still drafted by Kansas City eight months later.

It was a bad decision 11 years ago to make Hill a Chief, and it would be even worse to make him one again now. The off-the-field stuff matters.

It’s time to call behaviors like Hill’s what they really are—abhorrent—and it’s time to hold the Chiefs accountable for choosing to overlook and downplay them just for the sake of trying to win.

Yes, Hill makes the Chiefs a better team, and yes, I think they would have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl with him on the roster. But honestly, I don’t think that is worth it anymore.

You are the standard you choose to accept, and I’m done accepting that this kind of thing is okay. The rest of Chiefs Kingdom should be done with it too.

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