Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill grabs cell phone, does selfie backflip after TD vs Panthers
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill will have NFL officials debating the rulebook this week after yet another attention-grabbing touchdown celebration on Sunday against the Panthers. Although he didn’t violate the league’s rule of bringing his own prop to the field, the former Chief snagged a phone from a man at the back of the endzone to film himself in selfie mode as he did a backflip.
Although the celebration initially seemed spontaneous, it’s possible Hill worked it all out prior to the game. The NFL’s UK account was able to share the video that was captured on that phone on X shortly after the score. The account then deleted the video.
Playing against the Giants last week, Hill hit New York with the peace sign on his way into the end zone on a 69-yard scamper. For that act of celebration, the league gave him a fine of $10,927 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The new fine came after the league gave him one for $7,000 for not wearing socks in Week 4.
Despite receiving a fine, Hill still came out on top on Sunday as the Dolphins took down the Giants 31-16. The wideout had eight receptions, 181 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. So far this season, Hill has 36 receptions for 651 yards and five receiving touchdowns. He’s also added 14 rushing yards.
Hill estimates that the NFL has levied about $100,000 worth of fines against him. In past games, any time Hill didn’t wear socks with his cleats, the NFL considered it a violation of the uniform code.
Hill tired of NFL fines
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that Hill’s fines didn’t total $100,000, but is still a “significant amount.”
When Hill met with the media on Thursday, he found himself answering questions about his footwear.
“I don’t want to further talk on it,” Hill told reporters. “I feel like my job as an employee of the NFL is to comply, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to comply, I’m going to give in. Usually, I bite the bullet and try to fight back, but once they start digging in your pocket a little bit, there’s really not much you can do.
“Plus in some kind of way, it gives me an advantage,” Hill said. “That’s what they said with me not having on socks, they said it gives me an advantage. I was like, ‘So y’all are going to drug test me for not wearing socks?’ At this point, I’m not going to say nothing, I’m just going to comply.”
Tyreek Hill is the highest-paid receiver in the NFL and makes roughly $30 million a year, so he can absorb a fine of $7,000 every few games. Even so, he doesn’t like throwing money away.
“The NFL has certain rules that have been here way before I’ve been playing this game, and they are going to be here well after, so it’s my job to comply… I don’t know, they’ve got their whole philosophy behind it,” Hill said. “I’m just going to do what I can to keep my hard-earned money in my pocket.”
On3’s Suzanne Halliburton contributed to this report.