It’s been more than a week since Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was thrown to the ground and detained by police during a traffic stop. The NFL star garnered widespread support from many players, but not from former quarterback Cam Newton.
On his “4th and 1” podcast, the former Carolina Panthers passer was critical of Hill, though Newton stopped short of supporting the police officers.
During last week’s traffic stop near Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Hill and the police officers argued over his tinted windows. The wide receiver asked law enforcement not to tap on the windows and refused to roll them down.
Officers eventually opened the driver’s door, pulled Hill from the car and placed him in handcuffs.
“When you roll the window down and you roll the window back up, bro don’t do that,” Newton said Thursday, noting that Hill doesn’t have any special privileges. “You can’t do that. It puts you in danger, and you have to put yourself in the officer’s position. He don’t know what’s in that d—- car.”
Hill has since said that he could have been more cooperative with officers, while Newton added that the situation did not need to escalate.
“If you’re a regular person, you’re resisting arrest,” the quarterback-turned-podcaster said of Hill’s initial reluctance to get out of the car. “It’s almost like a flag. When it’s thrown, it’s already thrown. When they say, ‘get out the d—- car,’ it’s over with.”
One officer from the traffic stop, Danny Torres, was placed on administrative duty after the incident pending an internal investigation. Hill’s attorneys have said they are considering legal action.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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