Tyreek Hill offers Mike McDaniel solution to Dolphins’ short-yardage struggles: ‘Take De’Von [Achane] out’

The Miami Dolphins were one of the NFL’s worst teams on third down in 2024, converting just 36.3% of their third down attempts into first downs. A big reason they ended up 25th in the league in that category was their inability to regularly turn third and short into first downs. 

Tyreek Hill was asked about what the Dolphins could do to improve in those situations, and he offered coach Mike McDaniel a very simple solution. 

“Take De’Von [Achane] out on third down,” Hill said matter of factly. “What? You wanted — that’s my honest opinion. If it’s third and short, he’s not a power back. I be telling him that in the locker room, but he swear he a power back. I love De’Von, though, but if I’m being honest, that’s why you got Jaylen Wright, that’s why you got Ollie Gordon, for those kinds of situations.” 

You don’t often hear a player talk this bluntly about personnel choices, but Hill has a strong point. Miami was just 17-for-32 (53.1%) in converting third downs with 1-3 yards to go when running the ball in 2024 — about the same success rate as passing, at 18-for-34 (52.9%), per Pro Football Reference. They were 1-for-4 on 4th and short (1-3 yards) when running the football last year as well. 

To Hill’s point, Achane was 6-for-12 converting third downs last year, and was just 15-for-34 (44.1%) in short yardage situations (on any down) in 2024, per Pro Football Reference. Wright only got three short yardage carries last season (and none on third down) but was 2-for-3 in converting his limited opportunities into first downs. 

Achane gives Miami’s offense a unique dynamic because of his speed, giving the Dolphins incredible quickness all over the field. However, as Hill succinctly puts it, he’s not a power back. And for as much as Miami wants that versatility and speed on the field, Achane doesn’t convert short yardage situations at a particularly high level. 

Hill has been unafraid of speaking his mind recently in Miami, and while he overstepped his bounds last year with his “I’m out” comments and is still working to repair some of those relationships, this latest suggestion on third down personnel is perhaps the blunt analysis the Dolphins need to listen to.