Chiefs’ Andy Reid Speaks On TE Travis Kelce, WR Tyreek Hill
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid created a couple headlines today as he addressed media questions on two veteran players who used to be the main levers of quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ success. While Reid continued to keep the door open for the return of tight end Travis Kelce, he was quick to temper expectations that Kansas City would definitely pursue newly released wide receiver Tyreek Hill. 
According to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, Reid informed the media that communication with Kelce had been ongoing. “There is communication,” he began (via ESPN’s Nate Taylor). “That’s the main thing. I’ve said this before: as long as there’s communication, I’m good. That means people want to move forward. I think that’s where Travis is.”
This question has been hanging over Kansas City since last summer. Looking ahead at the expiration of his current deal following the 2025 NFL season, Kelce made it known he was undecided on what would come next, but he soon came to the conclusion that he had no plans of finishing his career with any team but the Chiefs. As the team came out of their bye week with a loss putting them at 5-5 and longshots for the postseason, Kelce’s considerations once again turned to his future, and he staked his claim that he would come by a decision before the start of the 2026 league year.
If Kelce is going to return, though, he’s going to need a new contract. Looking forward to that possibility, Joel Curry of CBS Sports ventured to guess what that may look like for the 36-year-old tight end. It’s been clear over the past three years that Kelce is not quite the super star he consistently had proven to be from 2016-22. That being said, he has still routinely been among the top five players at his position. With 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns, Kelce put up the fourth-most receiving yards for tight ends in 2025.
Still, it doesn’t seem likely he will be able to continue pulling in an average annual value of $17.13MM — good for third amongst tight ends, behind only Trey McBride ($19MM) and George Kittle ($19.1MM). It doesn’t even seem likely that he’ll have the fourth-highest AAV to match his productive output. In order to figure out how much Kelce might make in 2026, Curry drew a couple comparisons. He looked back to the years 2012 & 2013, when veteran tight ends Jermichael Finley and Tony Gonzalez each signed two-year, $14MM deals, respectively. With the salary cap at that point in time being $123MM, Curry calculates that the equivalent of a $7MM-per-year deal in 2025 would be a one-year, $17.25MM deal.
Again, though, it’s hard to imagine Kelce getting a raise in a return to play, so Curry draws comparisons to more current examples like Ravens tight end Mark Andrews and Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith. Andrews, 30, recently signed a three-year, $39.27MM deal (with an AAV of $13.09MM), and Smith signed with the Steelers on a one-year, $12.01MM contract for 2026. Andrews’ deal was a slight pay reduction after making $14MM per year on his last contract, while Smith’s was a reward for a breakout campaign just before turning 30. Putting all these examples together, and assuming that Kelce would more likely than not sign a team-friendly deal, a one-year contract worth anywhere from $12MM to $14MM seems feasible.
When it came to the possible pursuit of Hill, Reid was quick to point out some potential speed bumps in the way of an immediate reunion. “I don’t even know if Tyreek is healthy right now to do anything,” Reid told reporters, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I’m sure he’s working hard on that part of it, trying to get all that straightened out. We talk about everything, so there’s nothing happening there, but we know what you know, and he’s out there cranking away trying to get himself back to where he can play, period.”
While Reid surely didn’t confirm anything, he didn’t definitively shut anything down either. Along with the hiring of former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and the potential returns of Kelce and Hill, it would be interesting to see the Chiefs turn back the clock for Mahomes as he continues to work through the recovery of his torn ACL and LCL.
Dolphins Release WR Tyreek Hill
As expected, Tyreek Hill‘s tenure with the Dolphins is ending. The All-Pro wideout is among the veterans being let go on Monday. 
Hill is being released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This marks an end to his four-year run in Miami. As Hill continues to recover from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 4, he will now become a free agent. The Dolphins have since confirmed the news.
[RELATED: Hill Plans To Play 11th NFL Season]
2026 was set to include $36MM in compensation in this case. Hill was due to collect a $5MM roster bonus as part of that figure in March, but many expected a release to take place well before that point. Miami has been busy on Monday, with the team’s list of veteran cuts including edge rusher Bradley Chubb and others. His release, along with that of Hill, will substantially alter the Dolphins’ cap situation.
Cutting Hill immediately would generate a slightly higher dead money charge ($28.25MM) than the cap savings it would create ($22.89MM). Like in Chubb’s case, a post-June 1 designation would be much more beneficial for the Dolphins. Taking that route would yield over $35MM in savings against while spreading out the dead cap charges across the next two years. In either case, Miami is well into cost-shedding season given the team’s actions today.
Hill is free to join another team, but since his injury there have been questions raised about his future. It will be interesting to see how much of a market forms in this case given the eight-time Pro Bowler’s health status. Hill is also the subject of an NFL investigation into domestic violence allegations. His history regarding other off-the-field issues represents another factor which could hinder Hill’s value.
The Dolphins received notable trade interest in Jaylen Waddle leading up to the 2025 deadline. To little surprise, Miami retained him. Waddle – who is under contract through the 2028 campaign – is now in line to handle WR1 duties moving forward. The rest of the team’s depth chart at the receiver position could see several changes this offseason.
Hill established himself as one of the league’s most productive players over the course of his Chiefs tenure. The former fifth-rounder was named a member of the 2010s All-Decade team based on his showings in Kansas City, and expectations were high upon arrival in Miami. The 2022 blockbuster deal which saw the Dolphins acquire Hill brought about five picks for the Chiefs and helped them reset their core. With the Dolphins, Hill proved to be a highly productive contributor.
In 2022, he broke the 1,700-yard threshold. Hill matched that feat the following season, leading the league in yards and touchdowns. A drop-off was suffered in 2024, a year in which the Dolphins dealt with quarterback injuries. Hill could be seen as a viable target in certain cases if suitors consider him a bounce-back candidate. Otherwise, his health status and intentions with respect to his future will be a major storyline.
The Dolphins are in position to usher in a new, young core during the opening year of the Jon-Eric Sullivan-Jeff Hafley era. Further changes can be expected, but several veteran contracts are already coming off the books in a sign of the wide berth granted by owner Stephen Ross. Inexpensive receivers will be targeted during the spring for Miami, while Hill will weigh his options.
Tyreek Hill To Keep Playing After Dolphins Release
In 2023, Tyreek Hill said that he intended to play out his contract with the Dolphins – which then ran through 2026 – and then retire. He also said he wanted to reach 10 years in the NFL.
Hill missed the first milestone by a year, but he finished a decade in the league at the conclusion of the 2025 season. He faces a long rehab process from the brutal leg injury he suffered in September and has made other hints towards retiring in the past. In recent months, those factors – as well as his expected departure from Miami – stirred speculation that Hill may have played his last down in the NFL.
But after being released by the Dolphins on Monday, Hill made it clear (via a social media post) that he has no intention of hanging up his cleats. He thanked the Dolphins and their fanbase after his four years in Miami and promised that he “will be back.” When or where that will be are still open questions.
In addition to parting ways with Hill, the Dolphins also cut outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and offensive lineman James Daniels. Hill and Daniels are not receiving post-June 1 designations, which would allow the team to push some of their dead money into 2027. Miami would not, however, receive the resulting salary cap relief until that date. Since they need the cap savings from releasing Hill and Daniels to become cap compliant in the new league year, those moves had to be made right away.
The precise financial impact of Daniels’ release is still TBD, as he has $3.5MM of his 2026 salary guaranteed for injury. He ended the season on injured reserve due to a torn pectoral; if he is still injured, the Dolphins cannot release him until the start of the new league year, according to OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald. Even then, Daniels can file a grievance for his injury guarantees if he believes he is still hurt.
Chubb will not be released at the same time as Hill and Daniels, per Fitzgerald, suggesting that the team is considering a post-June 1 move (or even a trade). Rather than absorbing his full $24MM dead cap hit this year, the Dolphins could move almost $13MM into 2027. However, the team would not see the cap savings until the summer and would need to make other moves to clear up additional cap space before free agency. Chubb has yet to be informed if his official release will happen before or after June 1, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
AFC East Notes: Hall, Hill, Patriots, Bills
It is fairly well known the Jets have wanted to retain Breece Hall. After all, they rejected a Chiefs offer believed to include a fourth-round pick at the deadline. The Jets eyed at least a third, and they retained the four-year starter as he finished his first 1,000-yard rushing season. As the likely top running back set to be available in free agency, Hall could command a salary around $12MM per year. With Aaron Glenn continually speaking highly of the former second-round pick, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini mentions the franchise tag as a possibility to ensure he stays in New York. The running back tag is expected to cost more than $14MM, per OverTheCap, though precise tag figures are not yet known. The transition tag could also be a possibility, per Cimini. That is expected to come in just south of $12MM, though the Jets would not be entitled to any compensation if Hall signed an offer sheet and departed.
The Jets are projected to hold the fourth-most cap space, so a tag would be a way to ensure Hall does not bolt for a contending team. Rumors ahead of the deadline pointed to the RB wanting to be moved, though he denied he requested a trade. Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Tyrod Taylor played out a two-year, $12MM Jets contract. After backing up Aaron Rodgers in 2024, Taylor began this season as Justin Fields‘ understudy. The team then turned to Taylor after Fields struggled, but by season’s end, overmatched rookie Brady Cook was taking snaps. A November report indicated the Jets were likely done with Taylor, but Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline indicates the team has interest in re-signing him. If the Jets re-sign Taylor, he would be placed into a third offensive system in three years as the team hires a new OC. That, of course, would not be new for Taylor — a veteran of six teams during a 15-year career. The Jets retaining Taylor would give them some continuity as they search for a new starter.
- The NFL is investigating allegations from Tyreek Hill‘s wife, who has accused the All-Pro wide receiver of domestic abuse over an extended period. The league is reviewing parts of Hill’s deposition in his divorce case with Keeta Vaccaro, the Miami Herald’s Grethel Aguila notes. Vaccaro filed for divorce and alleged eight incidents of domestic violence. Hill is no stranger to such accusations. He was arrested in 2014, pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend in college, and was later the subject of an NFL investigation into abuse claims by the same woman — the mother of his oldest children — in 2019. Hill and Vaccaro’s divorce trial is expected to begin in June. Hill, 31, is expected to be a Dolphins cap casualty soon.
- Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore was arrested on a domestic assault charge late last year, and the Boston Globe’s Travis Anderson indicates the sixth-year defender’s arraignment has been pushed back to March. The arraignment was initially scheduled for Tuesday, but Barmore’s lawyer pushed for a delay. This will prevent Barmore from making a court appearance during Super Bowl week. Any suspension for the high-priced D-lineman would likely come before or during the 2026 season.
- Jordan Phillips has enjoyed three stints with the Bills, returning after being released by the Cardinals and Cowboys. Phillips’ third Bills stay came after the Cowboys moved on midway through the 2024 season; he re-signed with Buffalo in August. The veteran defensive tackle spent the past two years in Buffalo and does not want to relocate again if he continues his career. Phillips, 33, is amenable to continuing his career but only wants to do so in Buffalo, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets.
NFL Investigating Domestic Violence Allegations Against Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill
The NFL will interview Tyreek Hill‘s wife, Keeta Vaccaro, as part of their investigation into the 31-year-old wide receiver’s alleged domestic violence, per Grethel Aguila of the Miami Herald.
Vaccaro filed for divorced from Hill in April. Court filings in September accused Hill of domestic violence, including multiple acts committed while Vacarro was pregnant. More recent documents reveal for the first time that the league is investigating those allegations.
This is the third known allegation of domestic violence against Hill. The first came during Hill’s time at Oklahoma State and led to his removal from the football and track teams, as well as several NFL teams’ draft boards. The second was in 2019 while he was on the Chiefs. Both came from Hill’s ex-fiancé and the mother of his children, Crystal Espinal. The NFL could not levy a punishment for Hill’s pre-draft conduct and their 2019 investigation produced no consequences, either.
The league will now be looking into Vaccaro’s claims, which include eight separate acts of domestic violence. The investigation will include an interview with Vaccaro, who is also asking that Hill’s deposition from their divorce case be provided to the NFL.
The investigation will hang over Hill as he enters the 2026 offseason. He is owed $36MM next year, a figure that the Dolphins nor any other team will want to pay. He is expected to hit free agency and search for a new team, a process that could be impacted by this investigation and a resulting punishment. Hill also hinted at the potential for retirement in late October.
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill Uncertain To Continue Playing Career
Shortly after Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered a severe, season-ending knee injury in Week 4, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, indicated his client would seek to continue his playing career in 2026. The player himself seems less certain.
Hill, 31, recently appeared on the podcast hosted by Terron Armstead, his former Miami teammate. During the interview, Hill suggested he may not return to the field.
“At the end of the day, I feel like that decision [to continue playing or not] is based upon how I feel and where my mindset is at the moment,” Hill said (via the Associated Press). “I’m happy with the career that I’ve had. I love playing football. I love it, but it takes a lot. It takes a lot on you mentally, it takes a lot on you physically.”
Before the injury, Hill’s contract situation and the Dolphins’ status as presumptive deadline sellers made the eight-time Pro Bowler an obvious trade candidate, though a new round of domestic violence allegations complicated his value. Even if he remained healthy and stayed on Miami’s roster beyond the deadline, he was likely to be released in the offseason.
A post-injury report confirmed the Dolphins are expected to move on from Hill before the third day of the 2026 league year, at which point $11MM of his $29.9MM salary will become guaranteed, along with a $5MM roster bonus. Assuming Miami does cut bait, Hill’s free agent stock – should he be medically cleared and if he chooses to keep playing – will be undermined by his age, injury, and off-field baggage.
He did not offer a timeline as to when he will make his decision.
“I’m at the point now where I need to have a conversation with mom, family, everybody,” he said. “Wherever my mind is at the time, the decision will be made, but I know right now, I haven’t had time to live in the moment. … I just want to be in this moment with my family. I don’t want to make any rash decisions.”
As part of a prolific, HOF-worthy on-field resume, Hill has amassed 11,363 receiving yards and 95 total touchdowns, including five scores during his early-career work as a return man. He has been similarly impressive in the postseason, recording 1,212 receiving yards and seven total TDs in 15 playoff games. He has also earned just shy of $150MM from his NFL contracts, and he secured a Super Bowl ring as part of the Chiefs’ 2020 squad.
In speaking about the knee injury he sustained this season, he said, “[w]hen I got tackled, I immediately tried to get up … I’d seen that my leg was crooked. I immediately started laughing because I’ve been able to play this game for 10 years, really my entire life, and I’ve been blessed with great talents and great gifts. The amount of support I get from my family, it’s amazing. So I really wasn’t even thinking about the injury. I was thinking about the great times I’ve had playing this game.”
Chiefs Did Not Consider Trading For WR Tyreek Hill
Early in the campaign, speculation surrounded Tyreek Hill‘s future in Miami. A trade allowing him to finish the 2025 campaign on a different team was the subject of constant discussion. 
That of course came to an end with Hill’s massive knee injured suffered in Week 4. An ACL tear as well as a dislocated knee has ended Hill’s season and now resulted in the expectation he will be released ahead of the final year of his contract. A trade is no longer on the table, but even if the opposite were true a Chiefs reunion would not have taken place.
Kanas City was named as a potential suitor for Hill in September, joining the Steelers in that regard. A Dolphins-Chiefs swap would have allowed the five-time All-Pro to return to his original team after spending his first six years in Kansas City. Despite that, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required) Hill was “never considered a real option” for the Chiefs in terms of an in-season trade.
The receiver position was a sore spot early this year for Kansas City with Xavier Worthy suffering an injury in Week 1. That – coupled with Rashee Rice‘s six-game suspension – left the team short on pass-catching options. Worthy has since returned, though, and Rice is expected to make an immediate impact once he is back in the fold. The latter topped 900 yards as a rookie and was averaging 72 yards per game before suffering a season-ending knee injury last year.
Rice and Worthy, along with the likes of Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, will be tasked with handling the bulk of the workload when the WR room is at full strength. The Chiefs struggled on offense while starting 0-2, but the past two weeks have produced stronger outputs along with a pair of wins. That will be expected to continue moving forward.
Hill posted four seasons with 1,000 or more yards during his Kansas City tenure, and he would have been in position to serve as a key figure on offense in the event a trade had been worked out. Instead, the Chiefs will carry on with their in-house options at the receiver spot.
Dolphins Expected To Release Tyreek Hill In 2026
After Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury in a win over the Jets on Monday, agent Drew Rosenhaus made it clear that his client wants to continue his career in Miami in 2026. It doesn’t appear Hill will get his wish, though. The Dolphins are expected to release the eight-time Pro Bowler before the new league year begins in March, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
Even before Hill underwent surgery for a catastrophic injury (a dislocation and multiple ligament tears), it appeared his time in Miami was in jeopardy of ending soon. Hill may have been a trade candidate before the Nov. 4 deadline had he stayed healthy. He’ll now finish the year with the Dolphins, but they’ll then have to rework his contract or release him.
The 2026 campaign will be the last season of Hill’s current deal — a three-year, $90MM pact agreed to as a summer 2024 reworking. Hill has a bloated $51.9MM cap hit and a nonguaranteed base salary of $29.9MM for next season. A good portion of Hill’s salary ($11MM) and a $5MM roster bonus will become guaranteed if he’s still on the Dolphins’ roster on the third day of the league year.
Those figures obviously aren’t going to work for Miami, especially in the wake of Hill’s injury. It’s in question whether he’ll even be able to pass a physical in March, Jones notes. Releasing him then would still leave the Dolphins with a $15.5MM cap hit, but it’s nonetheless the most likely outcome.
Assuming the Dolphins release Hill and he’s healthy enough to play next year, they could still bring him back for a fifth season at a more team-friendly price. However, as Jones points out, there’s no guarantee the Dolphins’ current regime of general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel will stick around in 2026. At 1-3, the Dolphins are on track to miss the playoffs for the second year in a row. That could lead owner Stephen Ross to go in another direction in the front office and/or on the sidelines.
A new group of decision makers may be more inclined to move on from Hill, whose issues extend beyond recovering from a serious injury. He’s also a soon-to-be 32-year-old with declining production and significant off-field baggage, including domestic violence allegations that came to light in September.
Tyreek Hill “Would Love To Stay” With Dolphins In 2026
When Tyreek Hill is ready to return from his devastating knee injury, the wideout is hoping he’ll still be a member of the Dolphins. During a recent appearance on WSVN 7 in Miami, agent Drew Rosenhaus said his client “would love to stay with the Dolphins.”
[RELATED: Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Suffers ACL Tear]
“We would love to get together with them after the season and figure something out that works for both sides and continue his career here in Miami. There’s no reason why we can’t,” Rosenhaus said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “…We will roll up our sleeves on our end. And if the Dolphins are willing, we will find a number that works for everyone.”
Even if Hill didn’t suffer a dislocated knee and numerous ligament tears, he was always destined to see a revised contract in order to stick in Miami. The receiver is attached to an untenable $51.9MM cap hit for the 2026 season, and he’s due $29.9MM in actual earnings. As Jackson notes, none of that money is guaranteed until the middle of March, at which point Hill will be owed $11MM (along with a $5MM signing bonus).
If the Dolphins decide to simply move on from Hill, then the team will still take a significant financial hit. If the receiver is cut before his $11MM is due in March, the Dolphins would be left with a $15.5MM cap hit.
While Hill may have a desire to stick with the Dolphins, there’s no guarantee that the feeling is mutual. The player’s recovery from the injury is obviously a major concern; Rosenhaus noted that Hill suffered more than just a dislocation and a torn ACL. There’s also the matter of the player’s declining production (Hill finished 2024 with his worst per-game receiving stats since his rookie campaign) and his off-the-field issues (which included recent domestic violence allegations and his public flirtation with a Miami exit). Hill was also mentioned as a potential trade candidate prior to his injury, so a divorce wouldn’t be completely unfounded.
Either way, it sounds like Hill is very committed to returning to the field in 2026, even if it doesn’t come with the Dolphins. We heard recently that the wideout intends to keep playing next season, and Rosenhaus said during his WSVN 7 appearance that his client should be lined up for a full recovery.
“The surgery went well. All of the torn ligaments, the injuries, went back in a place naturally,” Rosenhaus said (via Jackson). “There’s no nerve damage, no blood flow issues, no broken bones. The goal is for him to be back to himself for the start of next season.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/1/25
Here are the first minor transactions of October:
Detroit Lions
- Signed from practice squad: S Loren Strickland, LB Ty Summers
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed from practice squad: S Trey Washington
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: T Foster Sarell
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: WR Tyreek Hill (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Claimed off waivers (from Packers): T Brant Banks
Washington Commanders
- Signed from practice squad: CB Antonio Hamilton
- Placed on IR: DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste (story)