Chad Johnson: Tyreek Hill Should be in NFL MVP Race After Injury in Dolphins' Loss

Former NFL star Chad Johnson believes fans got a glimpse of how valuable Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is in a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Hill suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter and finished with four receptions for 61 yards. Tua Tagovailoa, meanwhile, was held without a touchdown pass for the first time all year and finished with a season-low 29.2 QBR.

"This is why he belongs in the MVP conversation," Johnson said to TMZ Sports. "I know the MVP is a quarterback award, but what you saw [Monday] night, for two quarters with the absence of Tyreek, is how important he is to that team."

Hill leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,542) and touchdown catches (12), and his 118.6 yards per game are on pace to be tied for the fifth-best in a single year.

Broadly speaking, it's not a total coincidence Tagovailoa's breakthrough in 2022 coincided with the arrival of the four-time All-Pro.

As Johnson said, the NFL MVP has become almost exclusively reserved for quarterbacks. Adrian Peterson in 2012 was the last non-QB winner.

Thanks to his position, the odds are even longer for Hill based on history. No wide receiver has led the MVP balloting, with even Jerry Rice only getting as high as second on two occasions.

But few will take issue with Johnson's position. Whether or not he has the hardware to prove it, Hill is unquestionably one of the most important players to his respective team in the NFL.