How The Kansas City Chiefs Limited Tyreek Hill

Tyreek Hill entered the game against his former team, leading the NFL in total yards and receiving touchdowns while on pace to become the first NFL receiver to record 2,000 receiving yards.

“Tyreek’s breaking records right now across the board,” said Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who was Hill’s offensive coordinator for his first two years in the league.

But the Chiefs held the speedy Miami Dolphins receiver to eight catches for 62 yards and no touchdowns.

The Dolphins moved Hill around, lining him up all over the field, including in the slot, on both sides of the line and in motion.

Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed was the player most responsible for limiting Hill. He shadowed him — except when he was in the slot and even then he was shaded to that side to help slot corner Trent McDuffie.

“I followed him the whole game,” Sneed exclusively shared. “I was ready for it.”

Sneed said how excited he was for the key matchup.

And of the young defensive backs room, Sneed was the only who had played with and practiced against Hill. He used that experience not only in his matchup, but also to advise his defensive back mates on how to combat Hill’s speed.

“He’s like one of the most talented receivers in the league and probably the fastest. So the only way to negate that was to try to be physical with him and try to get some hands on him,” Chiefs cornerback Josh Williams said. “LJ did a great job doing that.”

Any struggles Hill had — and he did drop two passes that were catchable — were not due to any lack of creativity by the Dolphins’ offensive coaches.

In addition to moving Hill around and often putting him in motion, the Dolphins had him hand off to Jaylen Waddle on a reverse on their second possession and pitched it to him on an end-around on the first play of the second quarter. Hill also had a three-yard rushing carry on the first drive of the fourth quarter.

In part due to those creative packages, Hill did inflict damage. His best play was a 19-yard catch that put the Dolphins in scoring position at the Chiefs’ 33-yard-line.

Two plays later, though, he was responsible for the game’s turning point.

He caught basically a lateral pass, but the Chiefs were in two-man coverage, and McDuffie forced a fumble, Mike Edwards recovered it and pitched it to Bryan Cook, who ran 59 yards for the touchdown.

“(McDuffie) was unblocked, and he came free as soon as I caught it,” Hill said. “I didn’t even get a chance to make a move.”

Hill moved on to Miami prior to the 2022 NFL season.

The Chiefs dealt him to the Dolphins for their 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick, a 2022 fourth-round pick, a 2023 fourth-round pick and a 2023 sixth-round pick.

The major reason for the trade was that the Chiefs were not willing to meet Hill’s asking price, and he ended up signing a four-year, $120 million contract with Miami. That average annual salary of $30 million still ranks as an NFL high among NFL wide receivers.

“That was a trade that worked out well for both parties,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “Obviously, Tyreek’s an incredible player and has done very well in his time with the Dolphins, but I also think it benefited the Chiefs. The draft compensation that we received, a lot of that draft capital was used to improve our defense.”

As a result, the Chiefs defense has become younger and faster. And it once again proved its merit, limiting the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL to 14 points and containing Hill.

But Kelce did have one beef with how Hill was handled.

Wide receiver Mecole Hardman — instead of Kelce — was the beneficiary of the postgame jersey swap with their former teammate.

Hardman, who keeps in regular contact with Hill, said the jersey swap with Hill already had been planned.

“This has been in the works for a minute,” Hardman exclusively shared. “I just needed to get that thing.”

Kelce and Hardman both, though, got the chance to visit with Hill after the game. Kelce told him he loved and missed him, and Hardman alluded to the fact that Sunday’s 21-14 Chiefs victory against the Dolphins could have a sequel.

“Stay healthy, man. Have a good season,” Hardman told him. “Hopefully, we see y’all again.”