MIAMI — Tyreek Hill believes that if he weren’t a famous football player, officers may have shot or arrested him during a police confrontation that “went from 0 to 60,” the Dolphins star said Monday.

The wide receiver was driving to the Dolphins-Jacksonville Jaguars game on Sunday when Miami-Dade police stopped him just outside Hard Rock Stadium, handcuffed him and put him face down on the pavement.

“If I wasn’t Tyreek Hill, Lord knows, I probably would have been, like, worst-case scenario, I would have been shot or would have been locked up” and “put behind bars, you know, for a simple speeding ticket,” Hill told NBC News.

“And that’s crazy that officers would take it, you know, to that level.”

The Miami-Dade Police Department has launched an internal affairs investigation, and at least one officer has been taken off the streets in the wake of the confrontation, which was captured on video that has been widely shared on social media.

Hill insists he was cooperative with police, rolling down his window and giving his identification. He said he was in no rush because he was within the shadows of Hard Rock Stadium and had no reason to be anxious or in a hurry.

“It just went from 0 to 60, man, from the moment that those guys pulled up behind me, knocked on my window, it went from 0 to 60 immediately,” said Hill, adding that he called team security officials from the car.

A representative for the police union said Hill was at fault for not being “immediately” cooperative with officers.

The police department declined to comment on the union’s account, saying police officials must wait until the internal affairs investigation is completed before they publicly discuss the incident.

Hill was cited for reckless driving and driving without a license, said his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. 

Hill, 30, thanked teammates — tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive lineman Calais Campbell — who were driving by, saw him being detained and stopped to help.

Campbell was handcuffed even though he was standing off to the side, Hill said. The highly respected Campbell, 38, is a former Walter Payton Man of the Year winner.

“When I saw Jonnu and Calais pull up … I didn’t feel alone anymore,” Hill said. “They ended up handcuffing Calais for just being 6-8 I think. But it was crazy. It was crazy how that same officer who took me down handcuffed Calais for just standing on the side.”

Ultimately, Hill said, he’s happy no one was injured or worse.

“That officer was really on a power trip,” he said. “He felt like he just needed to … do something that day, you know. But like I said, I’m glad nobody was hurt.”

Hill is one of pro football’s best-known playmakers.

His 77 career touchdown catches are fifth among active players and 36th all time, just behind No. 35 DeAndre Hopkins (78) and the retired Harold Carmichael and Charley Taylor, who are tied with 79. Carmichael and Taylor are both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The incident didn’t appear to affect Hill’s on-field performance in Sunday’s season opener; he caught seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s 20-17 victory.

Faced with first-and-10 from the Miami 20, late in the third quarter with the Jags leading 17-7, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa connected with Hill on a slant at the Dolphins’ 46-yard line.

Hill then raced past two Jaguars defenders to complete the electrifying 80-yard TD, which sparked the Miami comeback.

Hill put his hands behind his back, feigning that he was being handcuffed, as teammate Jaylen Waddle came up to walk him off as if he were the arresting officer.

“You got to learn how to laugh and have a good time,” he said. “Man, whenever people think you’re … having a bad situation or having a low moment, I always try to find the good in every situation. That’s one way I’m able to stay so strong-minded as a young male, well, as a young Black male.”

He said he was also grateful that his pregnant wife, Keeta, wasn’t in the car.

Under normal circumstances, she would have been along for the ride. But she was running late Sunday and decided to travel to the stadium on her own, they said.

“I’m so relieved she wasn’t [there], because if they would have tried to pull my wife out the car, Lord knows what would [have] happened,” Hill said. “I’m glad she wasn’t in the car.”

Jesse Kirsch reported from Miami and David K. Li from New York City.

MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-17, on Sunday in the season opener at Hard Rock Stadium.

Jason Sanders won it with a 52-yard field goal as time expired.

Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill connected on an 80-yard touchdown.

Excessive force by police? Tyreek Hill incident overshadows Dolphins win | Schad

Jevon Holland had the biggest play of the game with a critical forced fumble.

Let’s overreact, or not, on this Overreaction Monday.

Overreaction? Yes. I mean, look, Holland had an outstanding game and is a very good player. But the Dolphins seem unlikely to view safety as a priority position, compared to say, cornerback, edge rusher, offensive tackle and receiver. Miami can always franchise tag or transition tag Holland next offseason, if necessary. Holland is clearly a player worth signing. But keep in mind – Miami did let a defensive tackle and guard walk last offseason.

Miami’s lack of run game is a problem

Overreaction? Yes. Look, Miami had 81 yards and only 3.2 yards per carry, which is well below all goals and targets. The Dolphins’ offensive line didn’t get much traction and Raheem Mostert had only six attempts for nine yards. De’Von Achane was Miami’s greatest threat as a receiver, which is important to monitor. But it’s one game. Too early to panic.

This offensive line is not good enough

Overreaction? Maybe. I mean, look, Tua Tagovailoa was sacked three times, which is not ideal. The run game didn’t get going. There were a few penalties. We have confidence in offensive line coach Butch Barry and what he proved in his Year 1 with Miami. We think the tackles will be fine. But we’re closely monitoring the interior.

Jake Bailey is a Pro Bowl punter again

Overreaction? Maybe not. I mean, OK, Bailey had three punts inside the opponents’ 20 and two inside the opponents’ 10. It’s a great start for the former New Englander. Bailey had a pretty good camp. Since kickoffs are so anti-climactic now, perhaps we can shift our attention to the punters. Punters are people, too.

This team is not a Super Bowl contender

Overreaction? Yes. I mean, come on, it’s one game, and Miami found a way to win. Finding a way to win is usually what separates bad karma teams from good karma teams and Miami could use some good karma in 2024. This was not a front-run win. It was a come-from-behind win in which they were seconds from trailing 24-7. A win’s a win’s a win. It’s not easy to win games in the NFL, something pretty much every coach says.

The Report Card: Miami Dolphins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | Schad

Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe’s free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

A Miami-Dade police officer has been placed on administrative leave after Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was handcuffed and detained by police Sunday, hours before the team played against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Video circulating online appears to show four officers surrounding Hill as he is in handcuffs. Hill is lying on the ground while one of the officers has a knee on his back. Another video shows an officer approaching Hill quickly and Hill falling to the ground, though the view is partially obstructed.

Hill was pulled over about one block from the Hard Rock Stadium, where the Dolphins play, according to the team. He received a citation for reckless driving and driving without a license, said Drew Rosenhaus, Hill’s agent.

After the game, Hill put a positive spin on the incident.

“Obviously, everybody has bad apples in every situation, so I want to be able to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on both ends — on my end, and then also Miami-Dade — so that way we can team together and do something positive for the community, cause that’s what it’s all about,” he said in a postgame interview. Hill added that he has respect for police officers and wants to be one someday.

Hill said he still does not know why he was placed in handcuffs.

“I’m not going to give you a version that I still don’t know what happened,” he said. “But I do want to be able to use this platform to say, ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’”

He added, “I wasn’t disrespectful ‘cause my mom didn’t raise me that way. Didn’t cuss, didn’t do none of that.”

The Miami-Dade police department will be reviewing body camera footage of the incident, Director Stephanie Daniels said on X.

“I’m committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers,” she said.

Hill said he felt alone in the moment and was fortunate that his teammates, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith, showed up and tried to deescalate the situation.

Campbell, a defensive tackle, said he was driving to the stadium and saw Hill in handcuffs. When he got out of his car to intervene, he was handcuffed as well, he said.

“I didn’t understand what the issue was, but for him to put handcuffs on me, I felt some kind of way. But that just goes to show you our resilience, though,” Campbell said. “We didn’t let that stop us, we just got back in line, got focused again, and went out there and played a good football game. But that definitely was a interesting way to start a ball game.”

The Dolphins went on to defeat the Jaguars 20-17. Hill finished with seven catches and 130 yards. After an 80-yard touchdown reception, Hill appeared to pretend to be handcuffed during an endzone celebration.