Stephen A. Smith spoke at length Tuesday concerning the fallout of Tyreek Hill’s detainment in Miami before the Dolphins’ season opener, particularly accountability for parties involved, including the NFL star.
The ESPN personality made the comments on the most recent installment of “First Take” after bodycam footage of Sunday’s incident outside of Hard Rock Stadium was released, through which Hill, 30, was stopped for speeding by Miami-Dade County cops before the situation intensified.
“On the subject of Tyreek Hill, we can also’t let him completely off the hook based on the statement that was made by the police department,” Smith began, referencing an announcement from the South Florida Police Benevolent Association that alleged the eight-time Pro Bowler was “uncooperative” through the incident.
“… We’ve got a responsibility on this show and any form of platform that now we have to be sure that we’re doing what we will to save lots of lives. To be sure that that we’re doing what we will to make sure that one way or the other, a way, you get to live one other day and fight that battle. We understand how flawed they were. The police were excessive, no excuses, they ought to be ashamed of themselves, the way in which they acted, they simply went overboard, totally true.”
Smith then delved into the footage of how the scene unfolded, with authorities knocking on the window of Hill’s automotive and the NFL pro appearing to say, “Don’t knock on my window like that.”
“Here’s the issue, all of us got here on the air seeing the initial footage in complete, unadulterated support for Tyreek Hill. You pull over, they inform you to roll down your window, what’s the very first thing Shannon [Sharpe] just talked about? The very first thing they do once they pull us over, once they pull me over, all my windows are down, my hand’s on the steering wheel, that isn’t what Tyreek Hill did,” Smith said.
“Tyreek Hill had his window up, the officer knocks on his window, he didn’t bang on his window he knocked on his window, you hesitated to tug it down, the very first thing you say is, ‘Don’t bang on my window like that.’… he asks you in your driver’s license, you hesitated to provide him your driver’s license. You said within the postgame conference, ‘Hey, y’all, what if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ What if you happen to aren’t Tyreek Hill? What would have happened to you if any person that wasn’t Tyreek Hill kept the windows rolled up, hesitated to roll it down, didn’t provide you with the license immediately while you asked for it, after which hesitated to get out the automotive once they told you to get out the automotive?
“See, we got to be responsible. The purpose I’m attempting to make is that this, on no account should the officers be excused for what they did… I also am saying, yo, Tyreek, yo, bro, you didn’t deserve that, I’m not implying that you simply did. However the cops do have the ability. Once they pull up on you they usually inform you to roll down that window, they usually inform you to provide you your driver’s license, they usually inform you to get out that automotive, that’s what you bought to do.”
Within the footage released Monday, Hill was instructed to get out of the automotive by cops.
One cop could then be seen opening the door to Hill’s vehicle and pulling him out because the receiver stated he was getting out. Hill was then dropped at the bottom, laying on his stomach as he was cuffed.
A few of Hill’s Dolphins teammates stopped because the ordeal unfolded, including defensive end Calais Campbell, who was also detained.
The Dolphins, who defeated the Jaguars 20-17 on Sunday, released an announcement Monday condemning the “overly aggressive and violent conduct directed towards” Hill, Campbell and tight end Jonnu Smith.
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has called for the officers involved in Sunday’s incident to be fired.
