Today’s media is full of hot takes. Writers, hosts, and talking heads all use them to drive viewers, listeners, and readers. That’s why what I am about to do is not give you a hot take.
No, I’m just going to tell you the truth. What is that truth? That truth is that Tyreek Hill, the Miami Dolphins’ speedy wide receiver, is the 2023 NFL MVP this season.
I know what you’re going to say: “Dude, it’s going to be a quarterback. It’s always a quarterback.”
And in most seasons, I would agree it would be and should be a quarterback. After all, it is the most important position in the NFL. The quarterback touches the ball on every offensive down, so it makes sense.
Despite that, this year is different — and it’s not even close.
There are still six weeks to play, and things could change, but for now, it’s a one-man race. The statistics are unearthly, and Hill’s impact on his 7-3 Dolphins team is undeniable.
His record-setting start is not even the best argument for why he’s clearly the most valuable player in football, but it certainly sets the stage for why the award should be his.
Let’s start with the numbers
Through 11 games in 2023, Tyreek Hill has an eye-popping 1,324 receiving yards — the highest in a team’s first 11 games in the Super Bowl era. According to the NFL, Hill is just the fourth NFL player to go over 1,300 receiving yards this early in a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Elroy Hirsch (1,349 in 1951), Charlie Hennigan (1,327 in 1961), and Julio Jones (1,305 in 2018).
Hill is on a break-neck pace to reach 2,155 yards, would break the single-season receiving yards record of 1,964 held by former Detroit Lions standout Calvin Johnson in 2012.
“Everybody knows that Tyreek is fast,” said Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel last week in preparation for the team’s game in New York. “And he’s a freak athlete in that way. But it takes an inordinate amount of focus and dependability. There’s just so many hours of work to be able to perform at that level. Every team you play knows you’re trying to get the ball to him, so he sees creative coverages all the time, so it speaks to him.”
Imagine being the focus of every defense you play, every week, and still putting up numbers like Hill has. There is simply no other game changer in the league that comes close.
Last Friday, Tyreek Hill finished with another 100-yard game (102) on nine receptions and found the end zone for his league-leading 10th touchdown of the season.
Hill is the NFL’s greatest weapon
The Dolphins continue to own the best offense in the league and have a full complement of weapons. Fellow wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, running backs Raheem Mostert and rookie sensation De’Von Achane, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa are enough to make any defensive coordinator lose sleep at night. And as talented and deep as the Dolphins are, none of them strikes fear in an opponent like Tyreek Hill.
Hill is a transcendent player, and even the threat of him on the field changes the way the opponent plays. He might not even be on the field, but if there’s a chance he will be, opposing teams shudder.
The NFL’s most talented players include quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, and Tagovailoa. All at the top of their profession, and all a key ingredient in creating a winning roster.
While these players undoubtedly have an impact on the game, none of them possesses the blend of explosiveness and consistent success in one-on-one matchups like Hill does. Hill’s influence goes beyond his speed; it’s about how his speed translates into game-altering moments.
It’s not only about the record-setting yards he accumulates, but the timing and manner in which he does it. They come at critical moments, and his unparalleled ability to turn a game around is why he’s different and on another level from any other player today.
Hill brings an indescribable sense of fear to his opponents. A real fear.
“He is the most dangerous man,” Hall of Famer-turned-TV host Shannon Sharpe said of Hill. “That man, No. 10, at 5-foot-8 and 195 pounds, strikes more fear into the heart of opposing coaches than any current player because of that speed and his ability to break the game open at any moment.”
Opposing defenses must strategize around him and allocate their resources to stop him.
Even then, they often find themselves unable to contain him. He requires constant attention, and this creates opportunities for his teammates. He ultimately boosts the effectiveness of the entire Miami offense. In a nutshell: Hill doesn’t just raise his performance; he elevates the performance of his entire team.
Is that what the MVP award was created to recognize?
Jerry Rice: Tyreek Hill ‘has a legitimate chance‘
Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, whom most believe is the best to ever play the game, was once robbed of the MVP award in 1987. After scoring 22 touchdowns in just 12 games, Rice didn’t win despite an unprecedented season. Still, Rice recently told Yahoo Sports he thinks — while the odds are against it — Hill does have a chance this season.
“I think he’s excited about the opportunity of being the most valuable player. That could happen. That could happen,” Rice told Yahoo. “It doesn’t happen that often as a wide receiver, but I think he has a legitimate chance of making it happen.”
The last time a wide receiver was in the serious MVP conversation was when, in 2012, the aforementioned Calvin “Megatron” Johnson set the yardage record that is now in jeopardy this season. That year, the award did go to a non-quarterback, but it was Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who won the award with a remarkable 2,097-yard season.
The past 10 MVP awards, voted on by 50 members of the Associated Press, have gone to quarterbacks, and 15 of the last 16 have gone that way too.
With Tyreek Hill, it’s time to buck the trend
Hill’s impact this season cannot be understated. He is not just the standout player on the Dolphins, but also the top player in the entire NFL. His exceptional combination of speed, skill, and ability to always find an opening sets him apart as a talent who is revolutionizing the wide receiver position.
Hill is not just a contender for the MVP award; he embodies everything that the award stands for.
Whether he gets award or not, he’s clearly is the most valuable player in the game today.