CNN
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Drew Rosenhaus, Tyreek Hill’s agent, called the Miami Dolphins star’s arrest on Sunday – just hours before the team’s season opener – “heartbreaking, disturbing and inappropriate” in an interview with CNN on Monday.
Speaking to CNN’s Sara Sidner, Rosenhaus said he “couldn’t believe” what had happened.
“Tyreek just wanted to go to work, he wanted to play a game, he just wanted to do his job,” Rosenhaus said on CNN News Central. “For police officers to arrest him, throw him on the ground like that, put their knee on him, hit him – it’s just devastating.”
Several videos on social media showed Hill lying on the ground in handcuffs, surrounded by four police officers before the team’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Dolphins said on social media that Hill was “briefly detained” by police after a traffic accident a block from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and released shortly afterward.
It is still unclear what exactly led to Hill being arrested by police. The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) did not want to provide any further details about the incident to CNN, citing ongoing investigations.
MDPD Director Stephanie V. Daniels said Sunday that an investigation into the incident has been launched and that one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative duty. MDPD police confirmed to CNN that a second Dolphins player, Calais Campbell, was also handcuffed as he attempted to discuss the situation with officers at the scene.
Hill scored an 80-yard touchdown in Miami’s 20-17 win over the Jaguars and celebrated by putting his arms behind his back and locking his wrists together – perhaps a nod to being handcuffed the previous Sunday.
Rosenhaus said the celebration was an opportunity for Hill to “come to terms” with the incident.
“It’s just embarrassing to see images of you lying on the ground in handcuffs and the police kneeling on you, shoving you and treating you like a criminal,” he said. “I absolutely believe that this celebration was his way of coping with something that was so disturbing.”
Rosenhaus added: “To Tyreek’s credit, he had himself under control. He was able to play the game, make a sensational play, an 80-yard touchdown that helped the team win and come back from behind. His performance was epic.”
“But what happened before the game was disgraceful, unacceptable and should not happen in this society. Who would have thought after George Floyd that we would still see people being treated so unfairly and unnecessarily?”
Hill said after Sunday’s game that he was still confused about his pregame encounter with police.
“I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way, didn’t cuss, didn’t do anything like that. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out,” Hill said at his postgame press conference.
Rosenhaus told CNN on Monday that there was “no question” that the Hill incident would have “consequences.”
“If Tyreek hadn’t been a world-class athlete and in incredible shape, who knows what impact this would have had on him,” he said. “He was in pain. He was in pain. He was physically and mentally devastated – something we are seeking answers to – and we will pursue this to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Dolphins are back in action on Thursday when they face their division rival, the Buffalo Bills, at Hard Rock Stadium.
