Police union: “Uncooperative” Tyreek Hill “initiated” incident

Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill was “uncooperative” with police and “initiated” the incident that resulted in him lying facedown on the ground in handcuffs before Sunday's game, according to a statement released Monday by the South Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Hill received two traffic tickets after being stopped by police outside the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

“First of all, to be clear, he was never arrested. He was briefly detained for safety reasons after driving in a manner that placed himself and others in grave danger,” said the statement from SFPBA President Steadman Stahl.

“After being stopped, Mr. Hill did not immediately cooperate with the police officers on the scene, who handcuffed Mr. Hill in accordance with protocol and for their immediate safety,” the statement continued. “Mr. Hill, still not cooperating, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore returned to the ground.”

Hill, 30, was released after “a few minutes,” according to the SFPBA. He caught seven passes for 130 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown, in the Dolphins' 20-17 season-opening win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After the game, Hill said he had “no idea” why he was handcuffed for a traffic violation.

“I wasn't disrespectful because my mother didn't raise me that way. I didn't swear,” he said. “Still trying to figure it out.”

After Hill's 80-yard touchdown, Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle helped him celebrate by grabbing Hill's wrists behind his back and pretending to handcuff him.

The SFPBA said it would wait for the investigation to be completed but stood behind the actions of its officers.

“We are confident in the actions that led to Mr. Hill's arrest. However, as with any investigation, we will wait until all the facts come to light and Mr. Hill has any explanation for his actions that led to this unfortunate incident,” Stahl concluded in his statement.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus expressed concern about how the incident was handled with his client, without making any specific allegations.

“How things escalated and they ended up in handcuffs and on the ground by police is beyond me,” Rosenhaus told ESPN. “… We're going to look into it. We're going to investigate it. We're going to look out for Tyreek, but I'm not going to make any accusations at this point.”

Miami-Dade police issued a statement on social media on Sunday.

“We are aware of the recent arrest of Miami Dolphins player Tyreek Hill by officers of the Miami-Dade Police Department,” said Stephanie V. Daniels, Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department. “I have requested an immediate review of all the details of the incident, and we are also reviewing available body camera footage. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

Rosenhaus said he arrived when the “situation calmed down” and the Dolphins, including head security Drew Brooks, stepped in and “did a great job.”

Hill was selected in the fifth round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016 and is in his third season with the Dolphins. He led the NFL with 1,799 yards on 119 passes caught and tied for the league lead with 13 touchdown catches in 16 starts last season. This was the sixth season in which the five-time first-team All-Pro reached 1,000 yards.