The Dolphins have a decision to make when it comes to balancing the short-term and long-term risks and rewards of letting receiver Tyreek Hill play through a sprained ankle. They reportedly have decided to let Hill make the decision.
Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Dolphins plan to let Hill make the call. A decision is expected to be made during pregame warmups.
Embedded within that bottom-line position is a potentially complicated dance between Hill and coach Mike McDaniel. McDaniel, perhaps the most emotionally intelligent the NFL has seen in years if not ever, knows the importance of letting people control their own lives. Along the way, McDaniel undoubtedly made sure that Hill understands the pros and cons of whatever choice he makes.
It’s the quest for 2,000 receiving yards and a potential MVP award on one hand. It’s the more important pursuit of the franchise’s first Super Bowl trophy in 50 years on the other.
McDaniel surely hopes that he has guided Hill, who has not practiced all week, toward making the most prudent decision. It’s always easier for the player to process any ensuing disappointment in sacrificing his short-term goals if he makes the decision on his own. If McDaniel then publicly and privately praises him for making the selfless call, the message to Hill and all other players becomes even more clear.
Team comes first, but this specific team won’t dictate those terms to the individual players. They need to come to that conclusion on their own.
All that said, if Hill feels like he can play without making the ankle worse, he surely will. And, if nothing else, maybe he’ll be a decoy whose presence helps open up the rest of the offense.