There is no greater compliment in life than getting a nickname like Cheetah while pursuing one's dreams on the track and the football field. Tyreek Hill has constantly lived up to the moniker whether it’s catching deep passes from signal-callers or just outduelling every defender thrown at him while running a route. How did Tyreek Hill make a name for himself and sprint his way into superstardom?

Track star turned wide receiver

Tyreek was the son of Derrick Shaw and Aneesha Sanchez. He was born in Douglas, Georgia, and made that place his stomping grounds. It became apparent very early on that he could run for days. At Coffee High School, he won Track and Field News’ High School Player of the Year in 2012 after winning the Georgia 5A State Meet in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint. He then followed it up by crushing the competition at the 36th South Golden Classic. Running the fastest time by a junior also got him a USA Today All-American nod.

He was set on being a track star after enrolling in Garden City Community College. After all, he did win gold in the 2012 World Junior Championships for the 4x100 and settled for bronze in the 200-meter sprint.

However, Tyreek still gave football a shot. Unknown to him, a lot of scouts were watching his explosive performances as he totaled 659 rushing yards and 532 receiving yards on 67 receptions. Oklahoma State gave him an offer to leave the junior college and he happily accepted.

Tumultuous college run

After spending two seasons with the Broncbusters, Tyreek was well on his way to join the Cowboys. He registered big numbers with Oklahoma State. In 12 games of action, he notched 281 receiving yards, 534 rushing yards, 740 yards on kick returns, and 256 yards on punt returns. Not to mention, he also had four total touchdowns throughout that season.

Despite being ranked 11th nationally in all-purpose yards at Oklahoma State, Tyreek was dismissed from the school after pleading guilty to a domestic violence case. It looked like the young wide receiver career was over until West Alabama gave him a shot.

Coach Brent Gilliand hesitantly accepted Tyreek in his program with the condition that he became a full-time student and even took up a job. The young athlete obliged and balled out. He got 444 receiving yards, 237 rushing yards, 465 kick return yards, and 256 punt return yards. Tyreek capped off his college career with six touchdowns and was poised to enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

Big Red is big on second chances

When the draft loomed, no front office wanted any part of Tyreek and the history of domestic violence that came with him. However, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs swooped in to select him with the 165th overall pick in the fifth round. He was then vetted by the front office before signing a $2.58 million deal for four years. 

Tyreek formed an elite offensive trio alongside Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. He was selected to the First-Team All-Pro squad thrice with the Chiefs and they won Super Bowl IV. His impact could not be understated as the league even included him in NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. Despite reports of child abuse, the Chiefs gave him a new $54 million deal for three years.

Nothing much came in the following years as the Chiefs got tormented by the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With lackluster postseason outings, it was time for a change in the 2022 season. Tyreek was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round picks, four 2022 fourth-round picks, and a 2023 sixth-round pick.

Hunting for lost glory

As of the moment, Tyreek has garnered five First-Team All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowl nods. He even led the league in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in 2023. However, the team success just has not come for the Dolphins yet. With Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion putting them into another quarterback conundrum, it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The good news is that he currently has a four-year deal worth $120 million. This along with his endorsements from Adidas and Grip Boost propelled his net worth to about $40 million. An engagement with Crystal Espinal might make his life sweeter too. There is still so much football left in his future. Hopefully, he wins more titles and breaks more records.