Dolphins' Tyreek Hill expresses confidence in a turnaround despite lack of production this season

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyreek Hill’s receiving numbers are way down.

The NFL’s 2023 receiving yards leader has caught 23 passes for 286 yards in five games for the Miami Dolphins, which is less than half of what he had in his first five games last season (651).

The lack of production can be attributed to a number of factors, including injuries at quarterback and offensive miscues. But the All-Pro receiver doesn't want to point fingers.

“I’m here for this team,” Hill said Wednesday. “I’m here for my brothers all day long. If I’m open, I’m not going to go to the sideline and point it out. We’re just going to fix it when we watch film together on the offense the next day.”

Entering their Week 7 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, the Dolphins were last in the NFL in scoring offense and 26th in passing.

Before catching six passes for 69 yards in Week 5 against the Patriots, Hill had gone three straight games without reaching 50 yards. He hasn't had a 100-yard receiving game since going for 130 with a touchdown in Miami's season opener. By comparison, Hill had four 100-yard receiving games by Week 7 last year.

The Dolphins have been without Tua Tagovailoa, last year's passing leader, since Week 2 because of a concussion. They have turned to Tyler “Snoop” Huntley the past two games. Skylar Thompson, Tagovailoa's backup, started Week 3 but injured his ribs and hasn't played since.

Huntley has admitted to needing to build his chemistry with Miami's speedy receivers. That includes Hill, whom Huntley missed on several downfield throws in his Dolphins debut, a 31-12 loss to the Titans in Week 4.

Huntley said he spent time during the team's recent bye week working on his footwork and studying the timing and intricacies of coach Mike McDaniel's playbook. The former Ravens quarterback even called some of his receivers back from their vacations early to throw together.

“I didn't really want to bother too many guys,” Huntley said, “The guys that were able to come back earlier were able to catch a few passes, and it was good.”

Huntley's teammates have rallied around him, applauding his communication, determination in learning the offense and his response to mistakes.

“For being here for only a short time, he really came in and learned the offense,” said receiver Jaylen Waddle, “and not only learned the offense, but you've also got to learn new receivers and different players. It’s tough coming in — and then we’ve played some really good teams while he’s been (here). So just getting him used to throwing to us, timing, all these motions – he’s doing good, man, doing great.”

The expectation is that Tagovailoa will play again this season, but Hill has said he has confidence no matter who is under center.

Hill also said he doesn't feel the need to call his quarterback out over missed opportunities on the field.

“I just tell him, ‘Hey man, let’s go. Keep going,’” Hill said. “That’s my mentality. I’ve always been like that. My parents raised me in a different shape and form. I know a lot of people try to compare me to (Antonio Brown) all the time, but I’ll never run off the field and ruin my paycheck like that. I’m smart at the end of the day. I’ve got kids to take care of.”

Added Hill: “At the end of the day, the quarterback is almost like a kicker. If you say something to him, then you’re in his head and he’s like, oh I’ve got to find my guy. I don’t gotta do that. When it’s time, it’s time.”

When asked if he feels he's playing at the same level as he did in the past, Hill grinned.

“Cheetah’s going to be Cheetah,” he said.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) talks to wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

NEW YORK (AP) — An outspoken pro-Israel professor at Columbia University has been temporarily barred from campus, a university spokesperson said Wednesday.

Shai Davidai, an assistant professor at the Manhattan university's business school, had his campus access restricted effective Tuesday after repeatedly harassing and intimidating other employees, according to university spokesperson Ben Chang.

Davidai, an Israeli citizen, has been among the most prominent campus critics of pro-Palestinian protests, saying that school officials have not done enough to crack down on the demonstrations, which he views as antisemitic.

He also helped lead pro-Israel counterprotests at Columbia last spring. On X, formerly Twitter, where he has more than 100,000 followers, he has accused pro-Palestinian student groups of supporting terrorism.

Chang said the university has “consistently and continually” respected Davidai’s right to express his views but that the restrictions were a “direct result” of his conduct on Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel, which sparked the region’s latest conflict.

“His freedom of speech has not been limited and is not being limited now,” he wrote in a statement. “Columbia, however, does not tolerate threats of intimidation, harassment, or other threatening behavior by its employees.”

Davidai didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment, but said on X that the ban was in response to social media videos in which he confronted university officials during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.

“He has now retaliated and had me suspended from campus,” Davidai wrote in his Tuesday post, referring to Cas Holloway, the university's chief operating officer. The post also linked to a video on Instagram that has since been taken down.

“I don’t care about my future. It’s never been about me. I care about @Columbia’s future," Davidai wrote in another post on X. "I care about what this acceptance of anti-Jewish, anti-Israeli, and anti-American terrorism means for the students on campus. ”

Chang stressed that Davidai, who is not teaching this semester, has not been suspended from his faculty post and that his compensation has not been affected by the disciplinary action.

But he will need to complete a training program on the university's policies governing employee conduct before having his campus access reinstated, he added.

“Education, training, access restrictions and other measures are available and used by the University when faculty and other employees violate University policy,” Chang said. “As in other cases, our expectation is that Assistant Professor Davidai will successfully complete the training and promptly return to campus.”

FILE - Pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment is seen at the Columbia University, April 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)

FILE - Columbia University assistant professor Shai Davidai, left, is denied access to the main campus after his security card was deactivated, to prevent him from accessing the lawn currently occupied by pro-Palestinian student demonstrators in New York, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)