MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins huge receiver Tyreek Hill doubtless will miss no 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 large blow to a Dolphins workforce that picked up its first win of the season however now should claw again from a 1-3 report with out a participant who has been the NFL’s preeminent residence run risk for the previous decade.
“Subsequent man up,” Miami working again De’Von Achane stated of shedding Hill after Monday’s sport. “We have simply obtained to ensure we keep forward of the sticks. I really feel like anyone on this workforce, after they obtained the ball of their palms, they will make performs. We simply obtained to follow and simply obtained 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 sport with out Hill — round whom coach Mike McDaniel’s offense is constructed. (Miami did spend many of the offseason and coaching camp with out Hill as he rehabbed from a number of accidents.)
So, what does his knee damage 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, ESPN senior author and damage analyst Stephania Bell, and NFL analytics author Seth Walder reply the largest questions.
How lengthy ought to we count on 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 buildings are particularly concerned and the extent of surgical restore.
The time period “knee dislocation” merely describes the bottom results of the damage: The knee has been compelled right into a place that exceeds its regular vary of movement, and the bones are now not of their correct alignment. Dislocations can occur in several instructions, and the extent of damage can fluctuate relying on the forces by means of the joint on the time of damage.
With a knee dislocation, there’s sometimes trauma to a number of the primary stabilizing ligaments: anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and lateral collateral ligament. Different related tissues within the space will be injured, such because the meniscus, bone and cartilage. However there are two specific buildings of vital significance: the peroneal nerve and the popliteal artery.
The peroneal nerve travels from the again of the knee towards the outer side of the knee earlier than it dives deeper into the muscular tissues of the decrease leg. It’s chargeable for each sensation and muscular management within the decrease leg. If broken throughout a traumatic damage comparable to a knee dislocation, it may possibly result in lack of motor management on the foot and ankle in addition to regional sensory loss within the space.
The popliteal artery is positioned behind the knee. Trauma to the knee can injure the artery and threaten blood move to the decrease leg. If the artery is broken, immediate surgical restore is vital. 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 sometimes is delayed. The rehab and restoration course of takes a number of months or as much as a 12 months and in some circumstances past; nonetheless, every case is exclusive relying on the extent of damage/surgical procedure together with the person’s well being historical past and rehab course. — Bell
Ought to we count on Hill to make a full restoration? Who’re another gamers to have suffered the identical damage?
The expectations for restoration are predicated on the specifics of the damage and the surgical procedure or surgical procedures. There have been athletes who’ve returned to their sport following a knee dislocation, however it’s onerous to match one participant’s scenario 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 working again at South Carolina on the time, took a helmet to the knee towards Tennessee in 2012 that resulted in a right away dislocation. He was lucky to not undergo both arterial or nerve injury, but it surely was nonetheless a posh multiple-ligament damage that required months of rehabilitation. Previous to getting harm, Lattimore was anticipated to be a first-round choose 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 sport.
Houston Texans working again Nick Chubb additionally dislocated his knee in faculty. 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 injury. As devastating as that damage was, Chubb additionally was lucky to not undergo nerve or arterial injury. He had 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 damage to the identical knee, this time sustaining injury to the ACL, MCL, medial meniscus and medial joint capsule. The second damage required two surgical procedures to restore, however Chubb once more was lucky to flee nerve and artery injury. 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 needs to be used as a barometer of comparability for Hill, because the extent of his accidents will not be but identified. — Bell
What’s Hill’s future with the Dolphins? Has he performed his final sport?
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 figuring out his restoration timetable, it is tough to invest on his future with the workforce — however there’s a digestible out for the workforce subsequent offseason.
A post-June 1 reduce or commerce would save Miami $36 million in wage cap area, whereas creating roughly $15.9 million in useless cap in 2026 and $12.4 million in 2027. Hill might 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 enjoying effectively earlier than Monday night time’s damage — catching all six of his targets for 67 yards — however he’s an apparent place to begin if the workforce decides to completely reset the roster after this season. Keep in mind, additionally, that the NFL is investigating latest allegations towards Hill of home violence. — Louis-Jacques
How will the Dolphins’ offense cope with out its focus? Who will the workforce 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 damage doubtless 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 sport with out Hill since 2022 — and with a worse supporting solid within the huge receivers room.
Second-year wideout Malik Washington (eight catches for 47 yards in 2025) steps into an elevated position and should give groups a purpose 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 might be in line for extra work in Hill’s absence. Tight finish Darren Waller’s position doubtless will enhance, as effectively. And De’Von Achane, who leads all NFL working backs in receptions and receiving yards for the reason that begin of final season, might be much more concerned within the passing sport than he’s already. — Louis-Jacques
What do FPI and Miami’s remaining schedule energy say in regards to the Dolphins’ probabilities with out Hill?
It is bleak. The Dolphins have the Eleventh-easiest schedule the remainder of the best way, however FPI sees them because the eighth-worst workforce in soccer going ahead. The end result? Only a 7% likelihood to make the playoffs (and fewer than a 1% likelihood to win the AFC East). The worst half: FPI solely explicitly considers in-season quarterback accidents, in order that quantity is not even totally accounting for Hill’s damage. That dispiriting forecast relies on the truth that Miami entered the season with comparatively low expectations and has underperformed them with a 1-3 report and a protection that ranks thirty first in EPA per play. This was in all probability true previous to Hill’s damage, however particularly after it: The Dolphins ought to prioritize future seasons as they strategy the commerce deadline. — Walder
