Dolphins’ Hill talks MVP, Metcalf race, what’s ‘quite shocking’ and his 2,000-yard gift

No wide receiver has won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award.

Then again, no receiver has ever had 2,000 receiving yards in a season, something Dolphins star Tyreek Hill is on pace to achieve.

But while Hill said winning MVP would be meaningful, he said he believes it’s unrealistic for anyone playing his position to win the award. And he said Friday that teammate Tua Tagovailoa winning it would make him happier.

“It’s a quarterback award; we all know that,” said Hill, who has 93 receptions and leads the league in receiving yards (1,481) and receiving touchdowns (12).

“And if Tua won it, I’d be happy. I’d be happier if Tua won it. I feel like I’ve gotten everything I want. I get a chance to play the game that I love. God has blessed me with that.

“But obviously, winning the award would be icing on the cake. But God has blessed me with just everything I’ve got, with just being here in Miami. My family is enjoying life. I’m enjoying life. I’m just enjoying what every day has to offer. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Running back Adrian Peterson won the 2012 MVP award after rushing for 2,097 yards.

“AP also took that ball a lot too, though,” Hill said of Peterson, who had 388 touches that season. “The way the league is now, I just don’t see” a non-QB winning it.

This week, Vegas Insider listed Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott with the shortest MVP odds, followed by San Francisco QB Brock Purdy, Philadelphia QB Jalen Hurts, Kansas CIty QB Patrick Mahomes, Tagovailoa, Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson and Hill.

FanDuel on Friday also listed Hill with the seventh-shortest odds.

Hill said becoming the first NFL receiver to crack 2,000 yards in receptions (he’s on pace for 2,098) “would mean a lot. It would be great. My wife and my mom remind me every day. They’re like, you’ve got to live in the moment, you’re doing it. And it’s like, ‘bro, I can’t stop right now.’ I’m trying to visualize this next game. You know how they are. They don’t understand that. They’re like, ‘you’ve got to live in the moment. Let’s go out. Let’s celebrate.’ And it’s like, ‘nah, bruh. I’ve got to watch this film gang.’

“I told myself, if I’m able to do it, I’m going to buy my dream car. It’s an Aston Martin V12. Very expensive car.”

The fact that a 17th regular-season game was added in 2021 shouldn’t affect how cracking 2,000 yards is perceived, Hill said. Calvin Johnson owns the NFL single-season record with 1,964 receiving yards in 2012.

“It really doesn’t matter,” Hill said. “I feel like people should understand, like what we go through as professional athletes, it’s a lot. I wouldn’t care if I broke it in 18, if there were 18 games. I’d just be like, you know what? I feel like I did something special.”

Hill addressed other issues:

▪ He said it’s “quite shocking” that some teams are still playing a lot of man defense and single coverage defense:

“It’s my job and the rest of the receivers’ job to go out and prove that we can beat man coverage. It’s quite shocking, but at some point, it’s like, I mean, I’m grateful for it. I’m like, OK, I enjoy this. I’m having fun with it.”

▪ Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf has the fastest time in an NFL game this season (22.23 mph), Tyreek Hill the second fastest (22.01), per Next Gen Stats.

Hill was asked if he would race Metcalf if a sponsor can be found.

“Of course,” he said. “Cheetah ain’t ducking no smoke from nobody. But the reality of it is, my focus right now is obviously, what we’re doing right here. If I try to get tied up in trying to be the fastest, I feel like I’d be losing what’s ahead.

“Most of the time when I catch a touchdown, it’s like, I’m already in front of people. You feel me? He’s like, getting almost caught. So there’s a difference.”

Metcalf has said Hill has been ducking him for years.

“Once again, I thought football is about making plays,” Hill said. “And also, I’ve got receipts too though. It’s easier to say that somebody’s been ducking you, but he doesn’t have the receipts to back it up. I wish I could sign language that for him, but I don’t know how to.”

▪ On why he bought a scooter for teammates: “Growing up, I’m from the South. I grew up riding ATVs, riding dirt bikes and stuff like that. I just thought it would be cool to give back to the guys because most of the time, being in the positions that we’re in, most guys don’t receive gifts.

“A lot of people expect us to give them gifts and it’s like, OK, how can I find a way to give something cool to the guys? I wasn’t thinking about anybody being getting hurt at the time. I was like, you know what, let me just get them some scooters that go 43 mph.”

Jalen Ramsey bought teammates foot massagers.