The first season with the Miami Dolphins went off swimmingly for Tyreek Hill on the stat sheet. Despite moving on from Patrick Mahomes and seeing an unfortunate number of passes from Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater amid Tua Tagovailoa's injuries, he still racked up 1,710 receiving yards in his first season away from the Chiefs.
Coming into the 2023 season, however, he wasn't shy about his goals. Numerous times, Hill stated that he planned to break Calvin Johnson's single-season receiving record of 1,964 yards, set back in 2012. To do one better, Hill said that he was eyeing the 2,000-yard mark as he came into the year with Tua back healthy and having worked to stay that way.
If he continues the pace he set in the Dolphins' Week 1 win over the Chargers, he'll do it with absolute ease.
Dolphins: Tyreek Hill gets one-10th of the way to 2,000 yards in Week 1
In an absolute barn-burner, Hill was completely unguardable. Including the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the speedster racked up 11 catches for 215 yards and two total scores in the 36-34 Miami victory.
Hill's game-breaking ability has never been in question. Whether as part of the Chiefs death machine or even last year's debut with the Dolphins, he's been a game-breaker. But even then, the 2,000-yard mark is lofty. However, seeing him operate with this offense -- even without starting left tackle Terron Armstead active for Week 1 -- under Mike McDaniel and watching the connection he has with Tua, defenses are going to be in big trouble.
Even with the plethora of lightning-fast options that the Dolphins have with Jaylen Waddle, Devon Achane, Raheem Mostert, and more, Hill is still the trump card. He can beat any defensive back down the field, can make defenders look silly in space, and can just bust any play open, which the Chargers learned the hard way on Sunday.
There are 16 games left in the Dolphins season now and Hill has already chipped away more than one-10th of his lofty season-long goal. And with how he looked in LA, we might just have to believe him when he says he's getting to 2,000 yards.
