Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa 'working on relationship,' says Miami Dolphins' Mike McDaniel

Yahoo

5 days ago

Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has been the head of an interesting situation during training camp.
The 42-year-old coach was presented with a major conflict in his star receiver wanting to leave a team that suffered numerous injuries.
"I was very direct with him. He was very honest. It was great terms that we were discussing," McDaniel said of his conversation with Tyreek Hill during a news conference on Jan. 7. "It's not acceptable to leave the game and it won't be tolerated in the future. I wouldn't say there's necessarily anything to fix. We needed to clear the air."
Tyreek Hill situation and effect
Tyreek Hill went viral on social media after he said "I'm out" in a postgame presser after the Dolphins season finale.
'This is my first time I haven't been in the playoffs,' Hill said in January about his comment on wanting out. 'I mean for me, like I said man, I just gotta do what's best for me and my family, dawg. If that's here, or wherever the case may be, man, I'm going to open the door for myself, dawg.'
His comments rubbed a lot of his Dolphins teammates wrong and when he announced that he was staying with the team, he began trying to get on everyone's good side.
Hill's relationship with Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took a hit after the comments and he has been trying to rekindle the connection with him. In late July, described how he and Hill were trying to rebuild their connection.
'Sure, I would say we're still continuing to do that,' Tagovailoa said. 'But it's not just with me. It's with a lot of the guys. I'm not the only one that heard that. You guys aren't the only people that heard that. A lot of people that follow football, that follow the Miami Dolphins, that follow Tyreek, that are fans of his, everyone has seen that.
Mike McDaniel on Tua/Tyreek rekindling
McDaniel has been able to watch the two rebuild their connection being head of this situation in Miami. On "The Rich Eisen Show," McDaniel discussed how both players needed time and effort.
'These are people that are working on the relationship," McDaniel said. "I think the power in that is both of the players, like most relationships, you learn and you grow and when you invest you go through whatever, but the relationship becomes more real.'
McDaniel also stressed the matureness and determination both players were taking to achieve a connected relationship.
'I thought it was a maturation or a graduation of Tua as the leader of the team,' McDaniel added. 'And also I think it speaks to how healthy they are because there haven't been that many opportunities for the public to see them interact. But as time passes you'll see a more connected relationship and really not hiding anything.'
The Dolphins play three preseason games before they head to Indianapolis to begin the 2025 NFL regular season.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa building their relationship