All-Pro or polarizing? How will the Tyreek Hill era be remembered in Kansas City?

Tyreek Hill is no longer a Chief. The 28-year-old NFL wide receiver with world class speed was traded Wednesday to the Miami Dolphins for a considerable number of draft picks. Hill was a polarizing figure in Kansas City from the day he was taken out of college in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He came to town with considerable baggage - he allegedly assaulted his college girlfriend in 2014 and was placed on probation for three years. But he leaves with the strong possibility of becoming the highest-paid wide receiver in the game.

Hill’s football talent has never been questioned. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl six times in six professional seasons and was named first-team All Pro three times. Off-field incidents kept Hill from being truly embraced in Kansas City.

In 2019, he had to answer to child abuse allegations in Kansas and was indefinitely suspended by the Chiefs while child protective services investigators tried to determine how the young son he shared with a former girlfriend ended up with a broken arm.

Authorities couldn’t prove who harmed the child, and Hill was never charged. There was no evidence that Hill violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, a league investigation concluded.

Hill remained a popular and often divisive figure in Kansas City and steered clear of trouble in recent years. He was never truly able to shake free from his horrible actions from the past, though. Maybe, he can outrun his troubled past with a fresh start in Miami.

This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 12:00 AM.