Tyreek Hill's Off The Field Behavior Has Fans Furious

It's no secret that many NFL players have a dark past. While football is a staple of American culture, it carries a great deal of risk. Many former football stars have suffered permanent brain damage and memory loss due to the nature of the heavy-contact sport. While it's no question that players aren't afraid to get aggressive on the field, we've seen many professional athletes run into trouble in their personal lives for having a violent streak. The league has seen countless players arrested for domestic assault, sexual assault, and even murder (OJ Simpson, anyone?). While professional football players agree to play, they might not realize just how intense public scrutiny can be when they sign their NFL contract. 

Once an NFL player puts on their official jersey, they are subjected to the rules and regulations put in place by the league. Playing under the watchful eyes of millions may seem like a dream come true, but it can be taken away in an instant. Professional football players have been suspended or banned from the league due to their checkered criminal history. While physical contact may be the name of the game in American football, some athletes can't seem to leave their anger on the turf. NFL player Tyreek Hill has come under a great deal of scrutiny for his questionable past, and his off-the-field behavior has fans furious. We're taking a look at the Miami Dolphins player's dark history.

Tyreek Hill's criminal history began when he was still in college. After earning a Division-1 scholarship to play football for Oklahoma State, Hill's time on the team was cut short after he was arrested in 2014 on domestic violence charges. According to police reports, Hill's then-girlfriend Crystal Espinal, who was eight months pregnant at the time, called the police claiming the football player was physically violent toward her. Espinal told police Hill had choked her and punched her in the stomach during the incident, and she was afraid for her unborn baby's life. 

Hill was ultimately dismissed from the Oklahoma State football program after one season after being charged with domestic assault and battery by strangulation. The former Division-I athlete plead not guilty to the charges, but later changed his plea to guilty and accepted a deal. Hill served three years on probation thanks to his cooperation. According to The Oklahoman, Hill was required to provide "more than $1,000 in fines and court costs, a DNA sample, two years of state supervision, and proof of employment or student status, Hill's probation requires he complete an anger management course and a 52-week Batterer's Intervention Program."

After leaving Oklahoma behind for good, Hill was eventually able to play college football again despite the charges. The NFL star played for West Alabama during the 2015 season before entering the 2016 NFL draft. Hill and Espinol went on to welcome a healthy baby boy. 

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Tyreek Hill's dreams of playing in the NFL almost didn't come true. Many fans thought Hill wouldn't be a part of the 2016 NFL draft due to his 2014 domestic violence arrest. Not only was his checkered past a reason for the rumors, but the football player wasn't invited to take part in that year's NFL Combine either. The football player's impressive stats helped his case, however, especially his 4.25-second 40-yard dash during Pro Day. Hill got his chance to play for the league when the Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the fifth round.

Despite gossip over his criminal record, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid defended his decision at the time. "We're not going to do anything to put this community or this organization in a bind. We uncovered every possible stone that we possibly could, and we feel very comfortable with that part of it," he said in a statement to The Kansas City Star.

Hill faced plenty of criticism from fans following selection day, which he took on the chin. He told reporters in 2016 (via USA Today), "The fans have every right to be mad at me. I did something wrong. I let my emotions get the best of me, and I shouldn't have did it. They have every right to be mad. But guess what? I'm fixing to come back, be a better man, be a better citizen, and everything takes care of itself, and let God do the rest."

Tyreek Hill's problems with the law were far from over following his 2014 arrest. The former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver made headlines in 2019 after he and his then-fiancée Crystal Espinal lost custody of their child following an investigation into alleged child abuse. According to reports obtained by KCTV5 (via Sports Illustrated), the decision came after Johnson County opened a "child in need of care case," which typically arises when the court decides if a child has adequate care or is potentially suffering abuse. At the time, the child was placed in a temporary housing situation amidst the investigation. According to police reports, Hill's address was listed on a battery report describing the incident, where the 3-year-old suffered a broken arm.

Despite the allegations against him, the Chiefs allowed the wide receiver to practice in the off-season. About a month after news of the investigation broke, Johnson County's district attorney announced that Hill and Espinal wouldn't face child abuse charges, but the investigation was still ongoing. Hill denied the accusations against him, releasing a statement following the incident. "I love and support my family above anything. My son's health and happiness is my number one priority," he said. "I want to thank the Kansas City Chiefs, my attorneys, my agent and my union for supporting me through this. My focus remains on working hard to be the best person for my family and our community I can be, and the best player to help our team win."

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

The accusations against Tyreek Hill got worse when a damning audio recording surfaced, featuring him and his then-girlfriend Crystal Espinal. During the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, KCTV5 released audio recordings of a conversation between the former couple discussing the investigation into alleged child abuse. In the shocking clips, Espinal claims their son is terrified of the NFL player, to which Hill replied: "You need to be terrified of me too, b***h," adding, "That's why you can't keep a f***ing man."

In the recorded conversation, Espinal questions Hill, admitting her child claims the NFL player broke his arm. "Then why does he say 'Daddy did it'?" to which Hill replied, "I don't know! He says Daddy does a lot of things." Espinal went on to add, "Like what? A three-year-old is not going to lie about what happened to his arm." In a letter obtained by ESPN, the wide receiver's attorney Trey Pettlon denied Hill had ever physically abused his son. Espinal's claims refute that, as she said in the audio recording: "When he starts crying, what do you do? You make him open up his arms and you punch him in the chest."

A day after the recording surfaced, the Chiefs suspended Hill. In June 2019, the investigation into alleged child abuse charges involving Hill and Espinal's son was dropped. The NFL conducted its own personal conduct investigation into Hill, but it was determined he didn't violate NFL policies. The wide receiver was cleared to play for the league in July. 

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

Tyreek Hill didn't exactly help his reputation when he uploaded a TikTok video that mocked domestic abuse. In the video, the Miami Dolphins player was seen repeatedly pretending to slap a woman who appears to be Keeta Vaccaro, sister of NFL player Kenny Vaccaro. While the NFL star seemingly intended the video as a joke, many viewers were shocked at the clip, given his troubled past.

"Ain't no way Tyreek Hill actually filmed and posted this with his past lol," one user tweeted. Another Twitter user wrote, "Just a reminder that Tyreek Hill is good at football, but it doesn't take away from the fact that he's a piece of sh** human with no self-awareness." One viewer claimed the NFL player was completely aware of what he was doing, tweeting, "He's an unrepentant domestic abuser who is shielded from meaningful consequences because he's good at sports, and he knows it."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Tyreek Hill admitted he made a pretty dumb mistake when videos surfaced of him in 2023 involved in a physical altercation at a Miami marina. According to a report from Miami news station WPLG Local 10, Miami-Dade police placed Hill under investigation after he allegedly hit an employee who worked at Haulover Marina. The incident occurred over Father's Day weekend, during which Hill had posted videos celebrating on a boat.

Hill reportedly got into a disagreement with an employee of a charter boat company. He then allegedly hit the man. The argument reportedly began when Hill and his entourage were spotted fishing for tarpon off the dock, which is prohibited. When informed by the marina worker of the rule against fishing the protected species, Hill became outraged and allegedly hit the man in the back of his head. As of the time of writing, Hill has not been charged in the ongoing investigation. In addition to the boat controversy, the NFL star's agent came under fire after posting a video manhandling a shark. He mentioned Hill in the caption, writing, "Went fishing with ⁦@cheetah⁩ today and decided to get up close to this Dusky Shark." 

Hill told reporters that the NFL had launched its own investigation on the marina incident, which he declined to comment on. "I'm here to play ball. I understand your question totally, but the issue has been resolved, and I'm currently cooperating with the NFL, giving them all the details on what happened on that day," Hill said (via NBC).