NFL speedster Tyreek Hill remains without a team nearly a year after his last game, as the former Miami Dolphins star continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury that ended his 2025 season.
Hill, widely known by his nickname “Cheetah”, has spent the past year trying to rebuild his career after suffering a major knee injury in September 2025.
The 32-year-old wide receiver has not yet signed with an NFL team as the 2026 season approaches. His return to professional football remains uncertain, with the player continuing to work on regaining strength in his injured leg.
Tyreek Hill’s Injury Ended 2025 Season
Hill suffered the injury during the Miami Dolphins’ 27-21 victory over the New York Jets in September last year.
The injury involved a dislocated knee and multiple torn ligaments, including the ACL. It brought his season to an early end after just four games.
Nearly a year later, Hill is still undergoing rehabilitation.
In a recent update, Hill said he had undergone two surgeries and was working to regain power in his left leg. He stopped short of giving a specific return date but said his recovery was progressing.
Hill has continued sharing videos and updates from his rehabilitation as he works towards a potential return to the NFL.
When Tyreek Hill Challenged Usain Bolt
Before his injury, Hill was one of the NFL’s most talked-about speedsters and had repeatedly claimed that he could beat Usain Bolt in a short-distance race.
The proposed contest was mainly discussed as a 40-yard sprint, rather than the 100 metres in which Bolt became an Olympic and world champion.
Hill had confidently challenged the Jamaican sprint legend, arguing that his acceleration would give him an advantage over the shorter distance.
Bolt, however, was not convinced.
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show in 2021, Bolt discussed the possibility of racing Hill but maintained that the NFL star would not beat him over 40 metres.
The two continued their playful back-and-forth, but the much-discussed race never took place.
Hill’s Speed Made Him An NFL Star
Hill’s confidence came from years of elite speed performances.
He recorded a 4.29-second 40-yard dash, helping establish his reputation as one of the fastest players in American football.
His high-school 100-metre personal best was 9.98 seconds, although that performance was wind-assisted. His recognised 100-metre best is around 10.19 seconds.
Bolt, meanwhile, remains the world-record holder in the 100 metres with his legendary 9.58-second run at the 2009 World Athletics Championships.
The contrast between the two athletes made their proposed race a popular topic among sports fans.
NFL Comeback Remains Uncertain
For Hill, however, the focus has now shifted from debating his speed against Bolt to rebuilding his own career.
Before the injury, Hill had established himself as one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers and one of the league’s biggest offensive threats.
His latest rehabilitation update suggests that he is making progress, but Hill has deliberately avoided announcing a fixed return timeline.
With the 2026 NFL season approaching and no team currently signed to his name, questions remain over where and when he will return.
For now, the former Dolphins star is taking his recovery one day at a time. The once-confident challenge to Usain Bolt may have made headlines, but Hill’s biggest race now is against time as he attempts to get back to full fitness and the NFL field.
