Chiefs' Tyreek Hill Vows 'Never Again,' Says Audio Was About Teaching Son to Box

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill made his first public comments since the NFL elected not to suspend him following an investigation into allegations of child abuse.

Hill addressed audio released of his ex-fiancee, Crystal Espinal, accusing him of hitting their son and said, per TMZ Sports, "Punching my son in (his) chest. That would probably refer to me teaching my son how to box. 'Cause we do got boxing gloves at our house."

Hill also discussed some of the language he used on the recording.

"I mean, my mom got onto me, like she thumped me in the ear, like, Come on, man, Reek," he said, per Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com. "Come on, grow up, grow up out of it. So, never again. Like I said I'm growing as a human being, as a person. Never again."

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network passed along a statement from the NFL when it did not suspend Hill:

"I can't wait for my new journey, man. I'm excited," Hill said Sunday. "I'm working every day to be a better father, a better person, a better citizen, a better teammate and a better son, too, to my parents. I'm evolving every day."

Bergman noted the Johnson County (Kansas) District Attorney’s Office announced the investigation into Hill was no longer active on June 7 even though district attorney Steve Howe said he believed the three-year-old son was injured but couldn’t prove who was responsible.

Hill was still subject to a potential punishment from the NFL under its personal conduct policy, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported the league spoke to "multiple people on both sides of the allegations" even though Espinal did not speak to investigators.

"Based on the information provided to us by the league, we have decided it is appropriate for Tyreek to return to the team at the start of training camp," the Chiefs said in a statement on July 19, per Mike Jones of USA Today. "The club fully supports the conditions for return laid out by the league and will continue to monitor any new developments in the case."

Hill was barred from team activities during the investigation.

The audio that Hill addressed Sunday, which features a conversation between him and Espinal, was released in April by KCTV 5 (transcription via ESPN’s Adam Teicher) and contained the following exchange:

" [Espinal] is heard on the recording asking Hill, 'Why did he say daddy did it? Why did he say daddy did it?'

"Hill replies, 'He says daddy does a lot of things.'

"Espinal then says, 'A 3-year-old is not going to lie about what happened to his arm.'

"'Daddy did it,' Espinal said, paraphrasing the boy. 'He is terrified of you.'

"Hill responded, according to the recording: 'You need to be terrified of me, too, b---h.'"

In addition to the boxing explanation, TMZ noted Hill said his son likes imitating Iron Man and roughhousing with his father.

Hill and the Chiefs open the NFL season against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 8.