A trade to the Miami Dolphins and the monster contract that followed ensured a lot of attention would be focused on former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill this season.
And bold comments Hill made on his podcast guaranteed he also would be scrutinized.
Claims about Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa being more accurate than the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, and a prediction that Mahomes would struggle without Hill quickly went viral. Hill also said he wanted the ball more in Kansas City.
That drew a sharp rebuke from talk-show hosts on ESPN and Fox Sports.
Former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe said Monday on Fox Sports’ “Undisputed” that Hill should have stayed quiet, even if he was unhappy in KC.
“Tyreek, you got your money, bro,” Sharpe said. “I don’t know why you feel the need to take shots at Andy (Reid), why you need to take shots at Patrick Mahomes. … If you think that Tua is as accurate as Patrick Mahomes, you’re about to find out what it was like to go from a historically great player to a very average quarterback. You’re going to find out, Tyreek, and you’re going to find out the hard way. But you got your money. Just be happy.”
Sharpe noted the Chiefs had Hill under contract for another year and didn’t have to trade him. But Sharpe said the Chiefs did right by Hill by making the deal.
“I just don’t understand why Tyreek keeps talking when he’s made the Pro Bowl every year basically — since Mahomes has been there — as a wide receiver, not as a returner. And he has just taken shot after shot after shot. Like I said, we never heard any of this behind the scenes that Tyreek Hill is upset, Tyreek Hill is upset with his role in the offense. He feels that he’s been underutilized. Now he’s out, he’s gotten his money. Now even if that was the case, even if you were (underutilized), why now?”
Here is Sharpe on Hill.
.@ShannonSharpe on Tyreek Hill saying Tua is a more accurate QB than Mahomes:
“I’m confused. I don’t know why you feel the need to take shots at Andy and Mahomes. You’re going to find out what it’s like going from a historically great player to an average QB.” pic.twitter.com/o5s6fIqqeL
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 13, 2022
Stephen A. Smith rant
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith noted that Hill’s claims of Tagovailoa’s superior accuracy are quizzical considering the two have never played in a game.
Smith also said Mahomes is the “baddest brother on the planet right now.”
“Y’all ain’t even in preseason yet, which means the only thing you’ve done was catch passes from him, running routes in spring practice at the very least,” Smith said. “I mean, that’s all you got to go on. And that you’re trying to tell me it’s comparable to the numbers you put up with Patrick Mahomes? Going to four straight AFC Championship Games, going to back-to-back Super Bowls, winning a Super Bowl championship, recognizing the fact that Patrick Mahomes is the baddest brother on the planet right now as a quarterback. OK?
“And you’re gonna try to tell me, a dude that you’ve never even played a preseason game with is more accurate than Patrick Mahomes? If you are really, really serious about that, I’m sorry, I’m gonna say this on national television, stay off the weed.”
“I don’t know. I’m not trying to accuse Tyreek Hill or anything like that. I’m being facetious by saying that I don’t want anybody to think that I’m implying that he uses something. But that comment is so asinine, so utterly ridiculous, so beyond the pale that the brother really should be tested immediately if he’s serious about that.”
Here is Smith on Hill.