MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins extensive receiver Tyreek Hill seemingly will miss not less than the rest of the 2025 common season after struggling a dislocated left knee in Monday night time's 27-21 win over the New York Jets.
It is a huge blow to a Dolphins workforce that picked up its first win of the season however now should claw again from a 1-3 document and not using a participant who's been the NFL's preeminent house run menace for the previous decade.
“Subsequent man up,” Miami operating again De'Von Achane stated of dropping Hill after Monday's recreation. “We have simply acquired to verify we keep forward of the sticks. I really feel like anyone on this workforce, after they acquired the ball of their arms, they will make performs. We simply acquired to follow and simply acquired to face the truth that we'd not have him.”
That is unfamiliar territory for a Dolphins workforce that since 2022 has performed just one recreation with out Hill — round whom coach Mike McDaniel's offense is constructed. (Miami did spend a lot of the offseason and coaching camp with out Hill as he rehabbed from a number of accidents.)
So, what does his knee harm imply for Hill's season and his time in Miami? And the way will it affect the Dolphins, together with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa? Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques and ESPN senior author and harm analyst Stephania Bell reply the most important questions.
How lengthy ought to we anticipate Hill to be out? What's the standard timetable for a dislocated knee?
All we will say at this level is that Hill's 2025 season is over. The timetable for restoration relies on which constructions are particularly concerned and the extent of surgical restore.
The time period “knee dislocation” merely describes the bottom results of the harm: The knee has been pressured right into a place that exceeds its regular vary of movement, and the bones are not of their correct alignment. Dislocations can occur in several instructions, and the extent of harm can differ relying on the forces by the joint on the time of harm.
With a knee dislocation, there's sometimes trauma to among the predominant stabilizing ligaments: anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and lateral collateral ligament. Different related tissues within the space might be injured, such because the meniscus, bone and cartilage. However there are two specific constructions of important significance: the peroneal nerve and the popliteal artery.
The peroneal nerve travels from the again of the knee towards the outer facet of the knee earlier than it dives deeper into the muscle groups of the decrease leg. It's liable for each sensation and muscular management within the decrease leg. If broken throughout a traumatic harm similar to a knee dislocation, it could result in lack of motor management on the foot and ankle in addition to regional sensory loss within the space.
The popliteal artery is situated behind the knee. Trauma to the knee can injure the artery and threaten blood circulate to the decrease leg. If the artery is broken, immediate surgical restore is important. Concern for the artery particularly is the explanation athletes struggling knee dislocations are instantly transported to the hospital for additional imaging and analysis. Vascular (blood vessel) surgical procedure, if required, is carried out promptly.
Surgical reconstruction for ligaments is secondary and infrequently is delayed. The rehab and restoration course of takes a number of months or as much as a yr and in some instances past; nonetheless, every case is exclusive relying on the extent of harm/surgical procedure together with the person's well being historical past and rehab course. — Bell
Ought to we anticipate Hill to make a full restoration? Who're another gamers to have suffered the identical harm?
The expectations for restoration are predicated on the specifics of the harm and the surgical procedure or surgical procedures. There have been athletes who've returned to their sport following a knee dislocation, however it's laborious to match one participant's state of affairs to a different's given the variance between accidents.
Marcus Lattimore involves thoughts as a participant who suffered a memorable in-game knee dislocation that resulted in his leg being visibly repositioned. Lattimore, a operating again at South Carolina on the time, took a helmet to the knee towards Tennessee in 2012 that resulted in a direct dislocation. He was lucky to not endure both arterial or nerve harm, nevertheless it was nonetheless a fancy multiple-ligament harm that required months of rehabilitation. Previous to getting harm, Lattimore was anticipated to be a first-round decide within the 2013 NFL draft. He fell to the fourth spherical, the place the San Francisco 49ers chosen him, however would by no means play in an NFL recreation.
Houston Texans operating again Nick Chubb additionally dislocated his knee in school. In 2015, as a sophomore at Georgia, Chubb dislocated his left knee, tearing the MCL, LCL and PCL — three of the 4 major stabilizing ligaments of the knee — and sustaining cartilage harm. As devastating as that harm was, Chubb additionally was lucky to not endure nerve or arterial harm. He underwent reconstructive surgical procedure, rehabbed his knee and returned to play the 2016 season, throughout which he posted over 1,000 yards dashing for the Bulldogs. After one other 1,000-yard season as a senior, Chubb was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. In his sixth season with the Browns, Chubb suffered a equally devastating harm to the identical knee, this time sustaining harm to the ACL, MCL, medial meniscus and medial joint capsule. The second harm required two surgical procedures to restore, however Chubb once more was lucky to flee nerve and artery harm. Remarkably, he returned to restricted motion in 2024 for the Browns then signed with the Texans in 2025 as a free agent.
Whereas these two gamers' accidents illustrate the vary of outcomes that exists with knee dislocations, neither must be used as a barometer of comparability for Hill, because the extent of his accidents isn't but recognized. — Bell
What's Hill's future with the Dolphins? Has he performed his final recreation?
Hill agreed to a restructured contract final offseason that added $65 million in assured cash to the four-year, $120 deal he signed in 2022. With out realizing his restoration timetable, it is difficult to invest on his future with the workforce — however there's a digestible out for the workforce subsequent offseason.
A post-June 1 minimize or commerce would save Miami $36 million in wage cap area, whereas creating roughly $15.9 million in lifeless cap in 2026 and $12.4 million in 2027. Hill will likely be 32 years outdated when the 2026 marketing campaign begins and coming off the worst two-year stretch of his profession (1,224 yards and 7 TDs in 21 video games). He was taking part in properly earlier than Monday night time's harm — catching all six of his targets for 67 yards — however he's an apparent start line if the workforce decides to totally reset the roster after this season. — Louis-Jacques
How will the Dolphins' offense cope with out its focus? Who will they have a look at to get extra touches?
Solely Justin Jefferson has extra receiving yards than Hill since 2022, and solely Malik Nabers, A.J. Brown and Davante Adams have commanded a better share of his workforce's targets. So, Hill's harm seemingly can have a large affect not solely on the Dolphins' offense however on how opposing defenses put together for it.
Jaylen Waddle caught eight passes for 142 yards and a landing in Miami's lone recreation with out Hill since 2022 — and with a worse supporting solid within the extensive receivers room.
Second-year wideout Malik Washington (eight catches for 47 yards in 2025 up to now) steps into an elevated position and must give groups a motive to not hyperfocus on Waddle.
Though he has been a wholesome scratch in all 4 video games this season, Tahj Washington had a robust coaching camp and could possibly be in line for extra work in Hill's absence. Tight finish Darren Waller's position seemingly will enhance, as properly. And De'Von Achane, who leads all NFL operating backs in receptions and receiving yards because the begin of final season, will likely be much more concerned within the passing recreation than he's already. — Louis-Jacques
