Police have launched an internal investigation after NFL star Tyreek Hill was detained on his way to his team’s first game of the season.
Footage posted on social media platform X on Sunday showed the Miami Dolphins wide receiver lying face down on the ground while surrounded by four police officers.
Officers placed his hands behind his back and put handcuffs on him during the incident close to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Hill, 30, who described the incident as “crazy”, was released in time to play in the match against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which the Dolphins won 20-17.
In the second half, he caught an 80-yard pass for a decisive touchdown and celebrated by putting his hands behind his back as if they were in handcuffs.
Miami-Dade Police Department said the force is reviewing the incident and Director Stephanie Daniels said in a statement that one of the officers involved in the incident, who has not been named, has been placed on administrative duties pending the investigation.
Some fans saw the incident and captured video on their way to the game, and it quickly went viral on social media.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the internal review “will answer questions about why the troubling actions shown in public video footage were taken by the officer”.
Hill said he did not know why police handcuffed him, adding he “wasn’t disrespectful” to the officers and that he’s “still trying to figure it out”.
After the game, he told reporters he was told he was stopped for speeding and reckless driving.
Hill thanked the teammates who joined him while he was detained, saying: “For them to put their life on the line… it was amazing to see.”
One of them, defensive lineman Calais Campbell, told reporters police briefly handcuffed him after he approached and tried to de-escalate the situation.
He claimed officers used “excessive force” with Hill and called the incident “a bit extreme”.
Hill said the fact an officer has been placed on administrative duty “should tell you everything you need to know”.
The player, who said he respects police officers and wants to be one when he retires from football, said he “had no idea” why police placed him in handcuffs.
He said: “I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way. Didn’t cuss [swear]. Didn’t do none of that. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out.”
Hill said he didn’t want to use his status to get out of the situation but wondered what would’ve happened if he wasn’t an NFL star.
He said: “I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do. What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what that guy or guys would have done.
“I was just making sure that I was doing what my uncle always told me to do whenever you’re in a situation like that: ‘Just listen, put your hands on the steering wheel and just listen’.”
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His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN: “How things escalated into the situation that they were in, in handcuffs and being held on the ground with police, is mindboggling to me.
“I’m deeply concerned by that. Very troubled. We will be looking into it. We will be investigating this. We will look out for Tyreek, but I’m not going to make any allegations at this time. The most important thing is Tyreek is okay physically, mentally he was very distraught about what happened.”
The Miami Dolphins said in a statement on the team’s X account: “This morning, WR Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic incident about one block from the stadium and briefly detained by police.
“He has since been released. Several teammates saw the incident and stopped to offer support. Tyreek and all other players involved have safely arrived to the stadium and will be available for today’s game.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league has been in contact with the Dolphins, and declined to comment further.