Tyreek Hill has a tattoo that reads: Truly blessed.
“Each and every day I wake up, I’m truly blessed, man,” Hill said Monday night.
Eleven months ago, no one aside from Hill would have thought the Chiefs receiver would be here.
Hill spent the offseason away from the team during an investigation into child abuse allegations against him. He returned in time for training camp after the NFL determined they could not conclude that Hill violated the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.
Since then, he’s signed a three-year, $54 million extension, made his fourth Pro Bowl and is in the Super Bowl. Hill never doubted he would play this season.
“I always knew I was going to play, man,” Hill said. “It’s just some things had to get worked out. I just had to trust the process, and that’s it, man.”
Hill can fly on the field, but he couldn’t outrun questions about what happened off the field.
Hill, who was required to undergo clinical evaluation and therapeutic intervention, insists he’s become a better man and better father.
“Well, that’s the thing about me: My parents raised me to always believe in God and always have faith in whatever you’re going through,” Hill said. “You know what I’m saying? There are people who are having worse days than you. You know what I’m saying? And your good days are always going to outweigh your bad days. I had a rough patch or whatever, but I was able to bounce through because of my faith and because of the people I had around me and my support cast. I was able to still see my son, and my son he knows what’s going on. Just having my son around me during those moments was like a real big thing I needed to realize that, ‘Hey, buddy, like I’m going to always be here; I’m going to always be your father. I love you.’ He still tells me to this day, ‘Daddy, you are my best friend no matter what.’”
Hill was asked what steps he’s taken to reward the organization that stuck with him.
“I mean, I don’t know, man. I do a lot of community service work back in KC,” Hill said. “I guess you could say that. I’ve always worked hard for the people who I mean work hard for me I feel like. You know? I feel like the Chiefs, they gave me this opportunity, and I’m never going to take it for granted, because I’m not only playing for myself. I’m playing for my kids; I’m playing for my city, and I’m playing for the organization, so everything that I do is going to be on them, and it’s going to be on my kids.”