Tyreek Hill reacts to Tua Tagovailoa's fiery comments after WR's controversies

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa generated headlines when he said early into training camp that wide receiver Tyreek Hill needs to "build everything up again" regarding his relationships with his teammates following an interesting end to the 2024 campaign. 

On Friday, Hill responded to Tagovailoa's comments. 

"I think Tua’s comments were needed," Hill acknowledged, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk shared. "He’s obviously the leader of our team, so he sets the standard. So, I’m just trying to be the best teammate, best version of myself I can be. Showing up to meetings, coming out here every day and busting my tail in practice. I think it’s important. If you want to be able to leave a legacy, you’ve got to be able to consistently do those things." 

The latest Hill-related controversy arose when he subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale, telling reporters he was "out" in January. He later publicly apologized to teammates during a Super Bowl week media appearance and insisted that Tagovailoa was his "guy no matter what." 

Nevertheless, some reporters noticed during the first week of training camp that Jaylen Waddle appeared to be Tagovailoa's favorite target. According to ESPN stats, Hill led all Miami wide receivers last season with 81 receptions, 123 targets, 959 receiving yards and six touchdown catches. To compare, Waddle ended the campaign with 58 receptions for 744 yards and two scores.

Around the time that Dolphins veterans reported for training camp, Hill vowed that he would be "better as a leader" for Miami, which could show head coach Mike McDaniel the door if he finishes a fourth straight season at the helm without a playoff win. On Friday, Hill said he knows it's "very important" that he gives the Dolphins what they need from him both on and off the field.

As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs this season. This seemingly shows that the Dolphins could struggle to compete for a postseason berth even if Tagovailoa and Hill are on the same page.