Tyreek Hill Expected To Attend Training Camp
Fresh off Wednesday’s meeting with the NFL, Tyreek Hill is expected to attend training camp next month barring an “significant development” in the ongoing investigation surrounding child abuse allegations levied at the Chiefs wide receiver, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Hill sat down with NFL Special Counsel for Investigations Lisa Friel today in a meeting that lasted eight hours, reports Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. The NFL is investigating child abuse accusations against Hill after the pass-catcher’s three-year-old son suffered a broken arm. Authorities have determined that neither Hill nor his fiance broke the boy’s arm, but there’s been some dispute as to whether a legal investigation is still ongoing.
In addition to being accused of physical abuse, Hill was also caught on audio threatening his fiance, indicating that she should be “terrified” of him. Even if Hill isn’t formally charged with a crime as a result of this episode, the NFL can still levy its own punishment under the league’s personal conduct policy.
The NFL has no timetable for the conclusion of its investigation, per Rapoport. Chiefs training camp opens on July 26.
Latest On Chiefs, Tyreek Hill
The Tyreek Hill investigation will take a major step forward on Wednesday. The Chiefs’ wide receiver will meet with NFL Special Counsel for Investigations Lisa Friel on Wednesday, according to Mike Florio of PFT. 
The NFL-Hill meeting has been in the works for some time, with word coming on Monday that the sit-down would occur sometime this week. Florio hears that there is expected to be just one interview of the wide receiver, though he’ll have to travel to New York to meet with Roger Goodell if the league determines that punishment is warranted.
Given the child abuse accusations levied against Hill and the damning audio that seems to support those accusations, it seems likely that Hill will be suspended and fined by the NFL. At this point, the only question may be whether Hill will be able to take the field at all in 2019.
Hill has been accused of hurting his three-year-old son, which is especially disturbing given his history of domestic violence against partner Crystal Espinal. While in college, Hill pleaded guilty to choking and beating Espinal, who was pregnant at the time.
Hill did not serve jail time for that incident in college and prosecutors have declined to pursue charges in connection with the alleged abuse of his son. Still, the NFL’s personal conduct policy allows for punishment even when the courts do not bring charges, and it also allows for pre-NFL events to be taken into consideration.
Chiefs OC Talks HC Interviews, Role In KC, Future
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was a popular name in the head coach circuit this past offseason. The 49-year-old ultimately had interviews with four organizations: the Jets, Buccaneers, Bengals, and Dolphins. Ultimately, Bieniemy didn’t get that head-coaching offer, but he remains confident about his standing in the NFL.
Of course, his inability to secure a head-coaching job says more about the other candidates than Bieniemy, as the coordinator’s resume speaks for itself. The former second-round player has essentially been coaching since his nine-year playing career came to an end, and he’s been on the Chiefs staff since 2013. After working with the likes of Jamaal Charles, Spencer Ware, and Kareem Hunt during his stint as running backs coach, Bieniemy was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018. During his first year on the job, the coach played a major role in the Chiefs establishing themselves as the top offense in the league.
Appearing at the NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit, Bieniemy talked to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure about his head coach interviews, his role on the Chiefs’ coaching staff, and his preparation for future job interviews. The entire article is worth a read, but we’ve compiled some of the notable soundbites below.
On the sentiment that he wasn’t hired as a head coach because of his lack of play-calling experience:
“Here’s my response about the playcalling: coach (Andy) Reid has always done it his way, and that’s how historically he’s done it because he’s Coach Reid. He has a beautiful mind, and we all work hand-in-hand together. And he gives me the green light to do a number of things. I have input. I do scripts. I get the install. There are a number of things that I do.”
On his interaction with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid:
“Do I talk to the quarterback? Yes. (Reid) is reciting what he wants me to particularly tell Pat to call. So if people want to make a big deal about that, so be it. The experience that I’ve gotten, understanding how an offensive system works, the organization, how to prepare it, how to get guys going and moving in one direction for one cause, that’s what this is about.”
On support from the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which “oversees compliance with the Rooney Rule requiring teams to interview minority candidates”:
“John Wooten and the Fritz Pollard Alliance, I thought they did a hell of a job; they gave me an opportunity. Obviously, Coach Reid has given me an opportunity. And I think my interviewing process went about as good as it could go.
On how this offseason prepared him for future head-coaching interviews:
“…[I]t gave me the experience moving forward knowing that, ‘You know what, this is my first go-around. Second go-around, if I’m blessed and fortunate to be placed in that situation, I’ll be that much better.’ But as far as a head-coaching position is concerned, right now we’re focused on the season. Obviously, we want to go out and do some things that’s going to help us to continue to have success. Then if somebody wants to give me a chance, I’ll be willing, ready, and waiting for that opportunity.”
NFL Aiming For Pre-Camp Hill Ruling?
In May, Roger Goodell said the NFL would not interfere with the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ Tyreek Hill investigation, indicating the league would interview the Chiefs wide receiver “whenever we have permission to.” It is unclear if the Kansas DCF’s investigation has concluded, but if it has not, the news about NFL investigators meeting with Hill represents a reversal and, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, perhaps an acknowledgement by the league something needs to transpire on this front by the time the Chiefs report to training camp July 23. While the investigation is likely covering the bruises and welts that appeared on the body of Hill’s 3-year-old son, Florio notes Hill’s history of violence, and the comment his fiance needing to worry about more possible violence, will almost certainly result in a Hill suspension. Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith was suspended four games in 2018 for threatening and the mother of his child and “engaging in emotional abuse.” With audio evidence having surfaced in this case, and Hill not being punished for his admitted 2014 violence against Crystal Espinal, that would seem to be the baseline for his potential punishment.
Tyreek Hill To Meet With NFL This Week
The Tyreek Hill saga will enter a crucial stretch. The embattled Chiefs wide receiver will meet with NFL investigators this week, Terez Paylor of Yahoo.com reports. Hill’s legal team is expected to join him at these meetings, Paylor reports.
The league will conduct multiple interviews with Hill, Kevin Kietzman of WHB 810 reports. The summits will take place in Kansas City, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports the first will commence Wednesday (Twitter link).
Hill remains barred from Chiefs offseason activities. He is no longer facing criminal charges for the alleged incident that ended with his son suffering a broken arm, but the Kansas Department for Children and Families is still looking into the matter. As the Roger Goodell era has repeatedly shown, the league does not require a criminal charge or conviction to suspend a player. And with Hill having a violent past, these proceedings will be critical for his NFL future.
While no longer being investigated for alleged involvement in his son’s broken arm, the prospect of Hill having struck his child could pose a significant problem for the 25-year-old wideout. The potential crime Johnson County (Kan.) District Attorney Steve Howe was believed to be referring to was the welts and bruises on the body of Hill and his fiance’s 3-year-old son. The league’s investigation uncovering more on this front could mean either a lengthy suspension and/or the Chiefs having to move on from another core member of their offense.
Hill and Crystal Espinal’s son was removed from their custody this year. An audio tape released in April included dialogue about Hill physically disciplining his son, after which Hill was heard saying Espinal needed to be “terrified” of him. A subsequent text exchange, in which Hill denied the abuse allegations, placed blame on Espinal. Hill’s fiance is the same woman the wide receiver pleaded guilty to choking and punching in 2014, when she was pregnant with the couple’s son. Since that incident occurred before Hill entered the league, he did not face NFL discipline for it.
The NFL taking the step to meet with the two-time All-Pro means a resolution may now be in sight. Hill was banned from Chiefs OTAs and minicamp but, unlike Kareem Hunt, has remained a Chief through this off-field drama. The Chiefs seemingly prepared for at least the prospect of a Hill suspension, having used their first 2019 draft pick on Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman. But at this point it remains unclear if Hill will begin this season with a significant ban or face the prospect of his promising Chiefs tenure coming to a close.
Poll: Who Is Pats’ Top 2019 AFC Challenger?
Another summer featuring the Patriots preparing a title defense will bring PFR’s third version of this poll. The Patriots are only the third team to book Super Bowl berths in three straight years, joining the Dolphins from 1971-73 and Bills from 1990-93, and again Las Vegas tabs Bill Belichick‘s team as the favorite to win a championship.
In the past two AFC title games, the Pats skated to Super Bowls by razor-thin margins. Their 2019 passing attack features more questions than it has in maybe 13 years, dating back to the days before the arrivals of Randy Moss and later Rob Gronkowski. But until they are defeated, this century’s premier team will be the favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowls.
The top candidate to dethrone them last year may again fill that role, but the Chiefs have gone through a rather complex offseason. After another dismal defensive season, the Chiefs overhauled their pass rush. They ditched anchors Justin Houston and Dee Ford, along with DC Bob Sutton, in moving to Steve Spagnuolo‘s 4-3 defense. But Frank Clark (35 sacks in four seasons), on a $20.8MM-per-year contract in a deal that cost the Chiefs their first-round pick, is Kansas City’s new edge bastion. It is not certain who will fill the role of K.C.’s No. 2 edge rusher, and high-end interior presence Chris Jones skipped minicamp.
This figures to be Patrick Mahomes‘ final season on his rookie contract, amplifying the importance of 2019 for the Chiefs. A major AFC variable: the status of the reigning MVP’s top receiver. Tyreek Hill is facing a near-certain suspension, or possibly a Chiefs departure, depending on where the NFL’s investigation goes. So the three-time defending AFC West champions’ status is a bit murky at the moment.
Despite the 2018 Chargers winding up on the wrong end of a divisional-round rout in New England, they still possess one of the NFL’s best rosters. As such, the Bolts were relatively quiet in free agency — beyond their Thomas Davis signing. The Chargers still employ the key players responsible for 2018 top-10 rankings on offense and defense and are in line to have Joey Bosa and Hunter Henry healthy in Week 1. The Bolts still lack a comparable home-field advantage compared to their contender peers but compensated last year by going 8-0 outside of Los Angeles.
In returning nearly every starter from last season, the Colts (who have the fourth-best AFC title odds) carry a similar profile to the Bolts. Chris Ballard again resisted major free agency spending, despite his team holding more than $100MM in cap space entering March. Indianapolis did re-sign multiple starters and have a new T.Y. Hilton supporting cast in Devin Funchess, third-rounder Parris Campbell and 2018 draftee Deon Cain, who missed his rookie season. The Colts were No. 2 in weighted DVOA entering their second-round loss last season.
They of one winning season in the past 16, the Browns loaded up this year and hold Bovada’s third-best odds to win the AFC. Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson and Kareem Hunt stand to play pivotal roles in Cleveland’s pursuit of its first playoff berth since 2002, and John Dorsey‘s two-offseason overhaul has this roster in much better shape. The Browns do have some questions on their offensive line, and new HC Freddie Kitchens brings only a half-season’s worth of coordinator experience. But this certainly profiles as one of the most fascinating contenders in years.
Vegas predicts the Texans and Ravens will take steps back, after each underwent sweeping 2019 changes. And for the first time in several years, the Steelers (sixth-best odds in the AFC) hover off the top tier. Are oddsmakers sleeping on the perennial contenders? The Steelers made multiple moves (in adding Devin Bush, Steven Nelson and Mark Barron) to patch up their defense but lost arguably this era’s top receiver, whose $21.12MM dead-money number limited them this offseason.
Lastly, what surprise team will emerge? Will the Raiders’ spending spree translate to 2019 success? Will Nick Foles stabilize the Jaguars’ offense enough? Will the collectively rebuilding AFC East prevent another five- or six-win Patriots divisional stroll (and the likelihood of the Pats earning a bye in every season this decade)?
Click below to vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your AFC thoughts in the comments section.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/13/19
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Jordan McCray
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Obum Gwacham
- Waived: DT Chunky Clements
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Tre McBride, DT Kalani Vakameilalo
- Waived: LB Nick Deluca, LS Christian Kuntz
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Neal Sterling
- Waived: LB Gary Johnson, T Justin Senior, RB James Williams
New York Jets
- Signed: CB Mark Myers
- Waived: S John Battle
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: TE Ryan Hewitt
- Waived: TE Keith Towbridge
Chiefs, Harrison Butker Agree To Extension
The Chiefs signed kicker Harrison Butker to a contract extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The new deal will lock Butker down with a five-year add-on worth roughly $20MM. 
With the new pact, Butker will be on the books for another six years in total, taking him through the 2024 season. The Chiefs couldn’t have known it at the time, but they found their franchise kicker in 2017 when they claimed Butker off waivers from the Panthers.
The Chiefs held on to Butker via the exclusive rights free agent tender this offseason, locking him down for $645K in 2019. The new deal will give him an average annual value of $4MM, putting him in the top ten at his position.
In 2017, Butker led the NFL with 42 field goal attempts, despite playing in only 13 games, and sank 38 of them, giving him a 90.5% completion percentage on the year. He kept up the good work in 2018, nailing 88.9% of his kicks. The Chiefs’ high-powered offense resulted in far more touchdowns than FGs last year, but Butker still got plenty of screen time with a league-high 69 extra point tries and converted 65 of them.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/12/19
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Mose Frazier
Chicago Bears
- Waived: K Chris Blewitt
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: CB Jalin Burrell (non-football illness)
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on non-football injury list: LB Chase Hansen
New York Jets
- Claimed off waivers: CB Montrel Meander
Chiefs Sign Mitchell Schwartz To Extension
The Chiefs and offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz agreed to terms on a one-year extension, according to an announcement from his agent. With the add-on, Schwartz will be under contract with Kansas City through the 2021 season. 
Schwartz, 30, joined the Chiefs on a five-year, $33MM deal prior to the 2016 season. Since then, he’s lived up to his contract by continuing the strong play he exhibited over the first four years of his career with the Browns.
Schwartz has yet to miss a game in his NFL career and, last year, he earned his first ever First-Team All-Pro nod. It was a banner year for Schwartz, and the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus supported that. Schwartz finished out with an overall grade of 83.6, good for fourth among all offensive tackles, stationing him behind only David Bakhtiari, Terron Armstead, and Andrew Whitworth.
Exact terms of the additional year are not yet known. In each of the next two seasons, Schwartz will carry a reasonable $8MM cap figure.