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Tyreek Hill, tired of hefty fines, will start wearing socks

profilephotocropby: Suzanne Halliburton10/13/23suzhalliburton
tyreek hill
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Tyreek Hill is a rebel no more, at least, when it comes to wearing socks. The Dolphins wideout promises he’s no longer trying to be so hard-headed about it.

You might recall that Hill, aka Cheetah. is running up the fines tab with the NFL. He’s one of the league’s most dynamic players, but he also goes sockless. Hill estimates that the NFL has levied about $100,000 against him. In past games, any time Hill didn’t wear socks with his cleats, the NFL considered it an advantage, maybe a violation of the uniform code. In a game against the Broncos earlier this season, the sockless move cost Tyreek Hill $7,000.

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that Hill’s fines didn’t total $100,000, but still was a “significant amount.”

When Hill met with the media, Thursday, he found himself answering questions about his footwear.

“I don’t want to further talk on it,” Hill told reporters. “I feel like my job as an employee of the NFL is to comply, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to comply, I’m going to give in. Usually I bite the bullet and try to fight back, but once they start digging in your pocket a little bit, there’s really not much you can do.

“Plus in some kind of way, it gives me an advantage,” Hill said. “That’s what they said with me not having on socks, they said it gives me an advantage. I was like, ‘So y’all are going to drug test me for not wearing socks?’ At this point, I’m not going to say nothing, I’m just going to comply.”

Here’s a detailed look at how Tyreek Hill wears his cleats. So far, the Dolphins receivering is leading the NFL in total yards. So socks or no socks, he’s still doing a fine job this fall. (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

And here’s why Hill isn’t wearing socks. It’s a medical thing, he says.

“I get IVs before games and sometimes the timing just doesn’t allow me to put on socks in time, and I don’t want to miss plays,” Hill said. “Sometimes I have on socks, and it doesn’t cover a certain length. The NFL has certain rules that have been here way before I’ve been playing this game, and they are going to be here well after, so it’s my job to comply. . . . I don’t know, they’ve got their whole philosophy behind it. I’m just going to do what I can to keep my hard-earned money in my pocket.”

Now, Tyreek Hill is the highest-paid receiver in the NFL at $30 million a year, so he can absorb a fine of $7,000 every few games. But we can understand about being frugal with his money when it comes to a sock fine. In the meantime, he’s enjoyed a fantastic start to the season. His 651 yards receiving leads the league. And he’s scored five TDs for a Dolphins offense now dubbed the Greatest Show on Surf.