What's next for Tyreek Hill after his release from the Dolphins? Keep an eye on the Chiefs and Bills

Tyreek Hill is officially a free agent, putting him in an unfamiliar position for the first time in his career.

So, what's next for the star wide receiver?

TheMiami Dolphins officially released Hill on Monday, ending a four-season run in which the franchise bet big on him being a key piece to pair with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Ultimately, that didn't work out. The Dolphins failed to win a single playoff game during his time in South Florida, continuing a drought that dates back to the 2000 season.

Hill went down with a devastating knee injury early this past season, too, including a dislocated knee. Hill's agent said on Monday that he's "progressing well" in his rehab and will be ready to play at some point next season, and Hill vowed to return on social media, too.

But who is in play for Hill next season? Yahoo Sports' "Inside Coverage" podcast discussed a couple of possibilities on Monday night.

"He still has that speed. Even if he's 80% of what he was, he's still going to be one of the faster players in the NFL," Yahoo Sports betting analyst Ben Fawkes said. "So I think he can be a useful piece for a contender, but also at what price is the big question too."

Kansas City Chiefs

The first landing spot is obvious. The Chiefs are the easiest match for Hill because his career began in Kansas City, and he won a Super Bowl ring there. He appeared to give a nod of approval on social media of the Chiefs' recent re-hiring of Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, too.

But Hill's usage in Kansas City may not be what he's used to.

"Is [Hill] willing to accept a lesser role if that's what he is right now? Let's say the Chiefs, right? Well, is he their No. 1 [wideout]? No, that's probably Rasheed Rice, who has his own set of baggage," Yahoo Sports NFL senior reporter Frank Schwab said. "And is he their speed guy? Well, no, that's probably Xavier Worthy. What role is he willing to accept? How much money is he willing to accept?"

There are, naturally, a lot of questions to be answered there. But Hill would be a solid weapon for the Chiefs, who just missed the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.

Advertisement

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo appears hellbent on doing just about anything possible to help lift quarterback Josh Allen over the postseason hump and to a Super Bowl. That included jettisoning a successful head coach in Sean McDermott in favor of offensive coordinator Joe Brady earlier this offseason.

Hill could be an easy add for a team needing an extra option. Khalil Shakir was their leading receiver last year with just 719 receiving yards, while tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox were second and third.

"They need that veteran piece," podcast host Andrew Siciliano. "They need that deep threat. They need a guy who down the field — I'm sorry, Brandin Cooks — can attack that football or just run away from the guy closest to him. So he doesn't have to have a contested catch there to win a playoff game in Denver."

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers could be a great fit for Hill for a number of reasons. He'd get to pair up with Justin Herbert, who has statistically been a top tier quarterback during his first six seasons in the league even if the team has struggled at times. The Chargers have plenty of money to pay Hill, too, as they're sitting with the third-most cap space in the league this offseason.

Oh, and Mike McDaniel is now the Chargers' offensive coordinator after he was fired by the Dolphins earlier this offseason. Reuniting with his former head coach on the other side of the country feels like it would make things even easier for Hill coming off of his injury.

New England Patriots

Sure, the Patriots reached Super Bowl LX this past season. But something was missing, and that was very evident in the final game as the Seahawks cruised to the dominant win in San Francisco.

Hill could easily step into New England and help young quarterback Drake Maye as he enters his third season in the league. Pairing Hill with fellow star Stefon Diggs, who racked up 1,013 receiving yards last season, and tight end Hunter Henry, might just be the boost the team needs to get over the hump.

Las Vegas Raiders

Now this may not be Hill's first choice, considering the state of the Raiders in recent years. But there are plenty of reasons why it would work.

The Raiders are under new leadership once again this season with Klint Kubiak coming in as their head coach. The franchise has the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, too, which they will presumably use on Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Getting Mendoza a veteran like Hill right away in his career, along with young running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers, would be huge early on in his career.

Oh, and the Raiders have money to spend. That'd be nice for Hill, too.

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

What's next for Tyreek Hill after his release from the Dolphins? Keep an eye on the Chiefs and Bills

Tyreek Hill is officially a free agent, putting him in an unfamiliar position for the first time in his career. ...

Read More

'Dodgy burger' rules Santner out against Canada as New Zealand targets T20 World Cup Super 8s

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Canada won the toss Tuesday and elected to bat against a New Zealand lineup targeting a spot in the Super 8s at theT20 World Cup.

Stand-in captain Daryl Mitchell said regular skipper Mitchell Santner is sick and will miss the game because he "had a dodgy burger last night."

Cole McConchie replaced Santner as a like-for-like replacement in the XI.

New Zealand was forced into another change with Kyle Jamieson coming in for pace bowler Lockie Ferguson, who returned home for the birth of his first child. Ferguson is scheduled to rejoin the team during the Super 8s.

A third win in Group D would seal New Zealand's place in the next round alongside South Africa, England, West Indies, India and Sri Lanka. New Zealand started the tournament with victories againstAfghanistanandUnited Arab Emiratesbefore losing toSouth Africa.

Canada has never played a T20 international against New Zealand. But in the one-day international format, the Black Cups have won all three previous matches against Canada.

Canada is last in the group following losses to United Arab Emirates and South Africa and will be knocked out of the tournament if it loses to New Zealand.

Later Tuesday, Zimbabwe is aiming for a win over Ireland that would also knock2021 champion Australiaout in the first round of the tournament for the first time since 2009. Nepal, which has lost all its three group games, is rounding out its T20 World Cup campaign against Scotland.

Canada: Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (captain), Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Dilon Heyliger, Jaskaran Singh, Ansh Patel.

New Zealand: Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell (captain), Cole McConchie, James Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.

AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

'Dodgy burger' rules Santner out against Canada as New Zealand targets T20 World Cup Super 8s

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Canada won the toss Tuesday and elected to bat against a New Zealand lineup targeting a spot in the...

Read More

Will Tyreek Hill play this year? Recovery timeline update for FA WR

Tyreek Hillhas been a pending free agent for less than a day, but his looming free agency this offseason is already one of the most intriguing among a solid group of free agent wide receivers.

Reports broke on Feb. 16 that theMiami Dolphinsintend to release Hill, who will turn 32 on March 1, making him a pending free agent. He will hit the market when thenew league year beginsin mid-March.

The five-time All-Pro missed most of the 2025 season after sustaining a dislocated knee and torn ACL during a Week 4 game against theNew York Jets. Any team that will consider signing Hill once free agency negotiations begin on March 9 will have to take Hill's availability – or lack thereof – into consideration.

Here's what to know about Hill's injury and where he stands in the recovery timeline for it:

NFL NEWS, TAKES, FANTASY ADVICE:USA TODAY Sports has you covered with our NFL vodcast

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best images of the 2025 NFL season

Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.

What happened to Tyreek Hill?

Hill suffered a gruesome knee injury early in the 2025 season during a Week 4 game against the Jets.

The then-Dolphinsreceiver caught a short pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa before getting twisted up with Jets defensive back Malachi Moore at the end of the play. ESPN cameras caught Hill grabbing at his leg after the gruesome injury, and he had to be carted off the field.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the following day that Hill had dislocated his knee and "tore multiple ligaments in his knee, including his ACL." The severity of the injury ended the wideout's 2025 season and set him on the road to recovery for 2026.

When will Tyreek Hill return?

According to Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, rehab after a dislocated knee injury and ACL tear can take as long as 9-12 months or more before returning to competition.

The orthopedic provider listed out a five-stage process in rehabbing an injury like Hill's:

• Phase 1: The first six weeks consist of bracing the joint, managing pain and "isometric muscle activation" in the quads and hamstrings to help stabilize the knee

• Phase 2: The following six weeks is when Hill would have been progressing from limited motion to a more full range of motion while starting to strengthen his leg further. Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush lists squatting and leg press as examples of leg exercises that might be included in this portion of rehab.

• Phase 3: The longest phase so far, lasting about three months, includes "more aggressive strengthening" and some "light agility" work, including cutting. Since Hill is five months removed from his injury in late September, this is likely the phase he is currently progressing through now.

• Phase 4: The penultimate phase is three or more months of pushing Hill within reach of a return to action. This phase consists of "sport-specific training, acceleration/deceleration drills" with a "gradual return to full contact, cutting, and pivoting" while monitoring for discomfort, swelling or lasting instability in the knee.

• Phase 5: This phase is essentially the full return to competition, with the first three months of that return including further "maintenance, load management and monitoring."

Hill is most likely still in phase three at this point in his rehab process, about five and a half months removed from the injury and surgery. If that's the case, he is still about a month or so away from returning to football activity. Phase four consists of the sport-specific drills that teams would likely hope to see before considering signing Hill.

A return by the start of the 2026 season is possible, though it may take longer depending on Hill's progression through injury rehab. Due to some of the uncertainty the injury caused, it may take a while for a team to decide to sign Hill in free agency – and likely at a discounted rate from what his contract value would have been worth a couple of years ago.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tyreek Hill is a free agent, but when will he return? Injury update

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

Will Tyreek Hill play this year? Recovery timeline update for FA WR

Tyreek Hillhas been a pending free agent for less than a day, but his looming free agency this offseason is already one o...

Read More

No. 13 Texas Tech feels it's 'scratching surface,' ready for ASU

No. 13 Texas Tech heads to Tempe, Ariz., on Tuesday night to face Arizona State riding momentum from its 78-75 upset victory at then-No. 1 Arizona on Saturday.

Texas Tech (19-6, 9-3 Big 12) has won three consecutive games after losing two straight to UCF and Kansas.

"I don't know if anyone is ever prepared for Big 12 play, but you'd better be prepared for a grind," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "It's going to be a fight. Our intent was how well can we fight every day, and our team is believing in that aspect.

"We don't have it all figured out. We're just scratching the surface."

Arizona State (13-12, 4-8) has not played since Feb. 10 when it beat Oklahoma State at home. The Sun Devils will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time since a three-game streak against Oklahoma, Northern Arizona and Santa Clara from Dec. 6-13.

Texas Tech post player JT Toppin is coming off a 31-point, 13-rebound performance in the win over Arizona.

The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year is in position to earn that award again. He is averaging 21.9 points and 11 rebounds per game.

Christian Anderson complements Toppin as the point guard. He had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds against the Wildcats. He also made 6 of 15 shots from 3-point range.

"I love the fight of this team," McCasland said. "JT and Christian weren't going to let us lose. JT Toppin was not going to be denied at the end of this game.

"You don't come into (Arizona's) building and win unless you're fighting and competitive. I love being part of this team."

Arizona State will counter Toppin and Anderson with 7-foot-2 freshman Massamba Diop and journeyman point guard Maurice Odum, who previously played for Pacific and Pepperdine.

Diop is averaging 13.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Odum is at 17 points and six assists per game.

Arizona State has struggled with rebounding this season, ranking last in the Big 12 with a minus-2.7 differential per game.

In the win over Oklahoma State, the Sun Devils finished with a 45-34 rebounding advantage, including a 19-10 edge on offensive rebounds. That contributed to a points-in-the-paint advantage of 38-26.

"It looks like we figured out how to rebound," Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley said. "I thought the balance was really good. We set the tone early in the game with establishing our ability to get some rebounds.

"We missed some shots, but were able to get second-chance opportunities. It's probably the biggest differential we've had in second-chance points all season, so great job for the guys."

Arizona State would need a miracle late-season run to become an NCAA Tournament candidate.

Beating Texas Tech would enhance Arizona State's NET ranking, which stood at No. 71 through the weekend. The Red Raiders' NET ranking was No. 16. The Sun Devils also have opportunities against Kansas and Iowa State to conclude the season.

The Sun Devils are 2-9 against Quad 1 opponents with victories over Texas and Santa Clara.

--Field Level Media

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

No. 13 Texas Tech feels it's 'scratching surface,' ready for ASU

No. 13 Texas Tech heads to Tempe, Ariz., on Tuesday night to face Arizona State riding momentum from its 78-75 upset v...

Read More

From antitrust fight to victory lane: Michael Jordan’s 23XI grabs a Daytona 500 win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Michael Jordaninherited the racing bugfrom his late father, who routinely packed everyone into the car and drove from North Carolina to a handful of tracks every year as attendingNASCARraces became Jordan family vacations.

Decades later, Jordan is now aDaytona 500winner.

He was an ecstatic team owner during the victory celebration, which he joined seconds before winnerTyler Reddickwas presented the trophy.

Reddick paused the party and was enveloped in Jordan's arms before the Basketball Hall of Famer gave high-fives to the No. 45 crew from 23XI Racing. A stream of well-wishers soon followed, including NASCAR chairman Jim France, who warmly congratulated Jordan with a smile and a handshake.

It was at least the second cordial public interaction the two have shared since December, when France and NASCARsettled the federal antitrust lawsuitthat 23XI and Front Row Motorsports had lodged. The lawsuit consumed the sport for more than two years and ended on the ninth day of trial, when NASCAR relented and settled before the top motorsports series in the United States suffered any more humiliation.

The settlement was a huge win for Jordan, who forever will be viewed as the team owner bold enough to stand up to NASCAR's dictatorship way of ruling the series. But that was already behind Jordan by the time he got to Daytona International Speedway, where he started Sunday by insisting the goal was to help grow NASCAR moving forward and focus on making 23XI a championship-contending race team.

"Both sides have been somewhat at a stalemate and we both needed to have conversations about change, how we can grow this sport," Jordan told Fox Sports before the green flag. "Unfortunately, we had to go through what we had to go through. But I think coming out of that, you have a much better appreciation for each other and I think it opens up conversations amongst each other to continue to grow the game."

Hours later, he was in victory lane celebrating as if he'd just won a seventh NBA championship. When France stopped by, it was clear all parties are moving forward.

Denny Hamlin, the three-time Daytona 500 winner who is partners with Jordan at 23XI, was the winning team owner representative in post-victory requirements and said there are no lingering bad feelings among the parties.

"I think December was a wake-up call. I think that the conversations since then have been a lot of self-reflection, in my opinion, from NASCAR. I think they would have done things differently had they had the opportunity to," Hamlin said. "But we knew that we needed to stick up for what we believed was right. We have to now figure out how we can get the sport back where it was decades ago.

"In order to do that, the only way we can do it is we're all going to have to pull the rope in the same direction. Even conversations that I've had with NASCAR executives as late as a couple days ago, sitting in a bus talking about what do we need to be five years from now, two years from now, 10 years from now. What does the sport need to look like?

"Those were all really good conversations, and they were very open to suggestions."

Jordan didn't become a NASCAR participant until 2021, when he partnered with Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, to form 23XI. He attends races — sometimes he watches from pit road, other times a suite — and although others run the team, Jordan is involved and sounds committed to NASCAR.

The Reddick win was a win for NASCAR, Hamlin argued, because it got Jordan into the headlines.

"It's big for the sport. He's the most popular athlete in the world. I don't think there's any disputing that," Hamlin said. "He loves the sport, and certainly he goes to a lot of races. Sometimes you don't even see him and he's there. He makes more races than people know. He loves this race team."

AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

From antitrust fight to victory lane: Michael Jordan’s 23XI grabs a Daytona 500 win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Michael Jordaninherited the racing bugfrom his late father, who routinely packed everyone into...

Read More

Michigan rises to No. 1 in AP Top 25 men's hoops poll for 1st time since January 2013

Michigan is No. 1 inThe Associated Press men's college basketball pollfor the first time in 13 years, ending Arizona's nine-week reign.

UCLA Michigan Basketball

The Wolverines (24-1) claimed 60 of 61 first-place votes in Monday's poll to climb one spot and supplant the Wildcats, who were unbeaten entering last week before fallingat Kansasand at hometo Texas Tech.

"Not much," coach Dusty May said when asked by the APafter Saturday's rout of UCLAabout the significance of potentially topping the poll. "It means we haven't drank our own Kool-Aid. We've put ourselves in a position to be playing the types of games in mid-February that we want to be in, but we've got to continue to improve."

Michigan had been ranked No. 2 behind Arizona for six of Arizona's nine weeks at the top but was No. 1 in analytics rankings by KenPom, Evan Miyakawa and Bart Torvik last week.

Now the Wolverines have their first AP No. 1 ranking since January 2013.

Houston and Duke each moved up one spot to sit behind Michigan, with the second-ranked Cougars claiming the remaining first-place vote. The Wolverines and Blue Devils are set to meet this weekend in a marquee nonconference matchup in the nation's capital.

Arizona dropped three spots to No. 4. UConn was next at No. 5, followed by Iowa State, Purdue, Kansas, Nebraska and Illinois to round out the top 10.

Rising

The seventh-ranked Boilermakers jumped six spots for the week's biggest leap, coming afteran overtime win at Nebraskaand a winat Iowa. The preseason No. 1 has won four straight entering Tuesday's visit from Michigan.

No. 13 Texas Tech rose three spots after its home winagainst Coloradofollowed by the OT win at Arizona. As did No. 21 Louisville, withfreshman Mikel Brownstarring with anAtlantic Coast Conference freshman-record 45 pointsin a win against N.C. State and 29 more in a winagainst Baylor.

In all, 13 teams moved up from last week.

Sliding

No. 15 Michigan State and No. 16 North Carolina had the week's biggest tumbles of five spots. The Spartans lost at Wisconsin on Friday, while the Tar Heelslost at Miamiwhile also learning thatstar freshman Caleb Wilson is out indefinitelywith a fractured bone in his left hand.

Advertisement

Seven ranked teams fell from last week's position.

Quick turnaround for Badgers

Wisconsin returned to the poll, going from receiving no votes last week to No. 24 after back-to-back wins against top-10 opponentsIllinoisandMichigan Statelast week.

Wisconsin previously had fallen out of the poll after a Nov. 21 loss to BYU as the Badgers struggled through a 7-4 start. Last week's wins, along with beingthe only team to take down Michigan, has the Badgers alongside the Red Raiders as the only teams with victories against three top-10 teams this year.

"Early in the year we were soft mentally and physically," coach Greg Gard said after the 92-71 win against the Spartans. "We had to mature, had to grow up collectively and individually. You're not going to be able to compete in these types of games in the upper echelon of this league if you're not physically and mentally tough. This group has responded."

Comings and goings

No. 25 Alabama joined Wisconsin as the week's new additions after the Crimson Tide pushed to a four-game winning streak.

They replaced Clemson (No. 20) and Kentucky (No. 25) in the poll.

Conference watch

The Big 12 and Big Ten dominated the top of the poll while tying with a national-best six ranked teams. Those two leagues combined to have eight spots in the top 10.

The ACC and Southeastern Conference were next with four ranked teams each. The Big East had two, while the West Coast Conference, Atlantic 10 and Mid-American Conference each had one.

AP Sports Writers Larry Lage in Michigan and Steve Megargee in Wisconsin contributed to this report.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphereandhere(AP mobile app). AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

Michigan rises to No. 1 in AP Top 25 men's hoops poll for 1st time since January 2013

Michigan is No. 1 inThe Associated Press men's college basketball pollfor the first time in 13 years, ending Arizona...

Read More

Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, wins gold in 5th Olympic appearance

Elana Meyers Taylor won the Olympicgold medal for Team USAin women's monobob on Monday, making her the most decorated U.S. female bobsledder out there.

She beat Germany's Laura Nolte. Fellow American, Kaillie Armbruster Humphries, who's won gold three times, took home the bronze.

Meyers Taylor, a 41-year-old five-time Olympian, previously won silver three times and bronze twice. She also has more medals to her name than any Black athlete in Winter Olympics history, according to Team USA.

With Monday's gold, she's also tied speed skater Bonnie Blair for the most medals by a female U.S. Winter Olympian. Speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, who earned eight medals across three Winter Olympics, holds the overall top spot for U.S. Winter Olympians.

Meyers Taylor is also now the oldest American woman to ever win gold at the Winter Games.

"I love going fast and I love being able to control this thing that should be out of control, that should be uncontrollable," she told CBS News before the race. "It's just so much fun to me and when you hit the curves right and when you're gliding, it feels like being a superhero."

Meyers Taylor also competes in two-woman bobsled.

Last year, she took home bronze in the world championships. Overall, she's earned 10 medals across her years competing in the world championships.

Meyers Taylororiginally had hopes of competing in the Summer Olympics as a football player, but told CBS News she "had a disaster of a tryout." Her parents, who'd seen bobsledding on TV, suggested she give it a shot.

Husband Nic Taylor is a former Olympic bobsledder.

A mom of two, Meyers Taylor is also an advocate for children who have disabilities. Both of her sons, Nico and Noah, are deaf and Nico also has Down syndrome. In addition to training for the Olympics, she's also juggled normal parenting responsibilities and learning sign language.

In November, Meyers Taylor told CBS News that when all the training is done and she's in race mode, "I don't think about anything. My mind goes completely blank, and I'm just fully in the moment, fully present. And I think that what keeps bringing me back is there's very few times in life that you can be that present."

Investigators reviewing retail sales records for clues in Nancy Guthrie case

Investigators chase critical leads as Nancy Guthrie search enters third week

Tom Homan says "I don't like the masks" on ICE agents, but they "have to protect themselves"

byAdministrator

in

February 16, 2026

Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, wins gold in 5th Olympic appearance

Elana Meyers Taylor won the Olympicgold medal for Team USAin women's monobob on Monday, making her the most decora...

Read More