Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill penalized for giving football to his mom after scoring touchdown

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill threw up a peace sign at two New York Giants defenders, and he was signaling to someone in the stands at Hard Rock Stadium.

Hill scored a 69-yard touchdown from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa early in the third quarter. The wide receiver then climbed into the stands and stood up on the railing as he was waiting give the football to someone.

It turned out to be Hill’s mother, who briefly argued with a fan for the football.

“I’m gonna tell you right now: You don’t want to mess with that little beast,” Hill said of his mother after the Dolphins’ 31-16 win over the New York Giants.

“I live with my mom every day, and she scares me sometimes. You don’t want to mess with that one.”

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Hill's mom received the football from the fan, who quickly relinquished it after a security guard and several fans around her in the stands identified her to him.

If there was any doubt, the back of her No. 10 Dolphins jersey said “Mom.”

The backstory behind Hill’s celebration with his mom

Hill said before catching eight passes for 181 yards against the Giants that his mother told him she needed to be part of his touchdown celebration during their drive to the stadium.

“I was like ‘Mama, I’m gonna get fined,’” Hill said. “She said ‘I don’t care. I just need to be a part of it today. Make it about mama.’”

Despite the moment, Hill was hit with a penalty for taunting after scoring the touchdown.

Hill says he was penalized for jumping into the stands

It was unclear whether Hill was penalized for the peace sign or jumping in the stands. Hill has been previously fined for peace sign instances in his past.

But Hill said he spoke to the referee who gave him the penalty after the play.

“The ref came and told me ‘You got a taunting flag for jumping in the stands,’” Hill said.  

“I’m like ‘Bro, you would’ve did the same thing for your mom, too. So why would you give me a flag for that?’ He thought I was doing something else, though.”

With the Chiefs in 2018, Hill scored a 73-yard touchdown in a 54-51 loss to the Rams when he flashed a peace sign. Hill was also fined more than $10,000 for a peace sign after a 64-yard touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs during a wild-card playoff game in Jan. 2022.

Whether Hill receives a fine for his touchdown celebration for jumping into the stands remains to be seen.

But it is clear Hill’s motive was to please his mother.

“I got a flag for it, but it was worth it, though,” Hill said. "Nobody messes with mama.”

Tua Tagovailoa called Hill’s touchdown catch

After the game, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa revealed it was his play call that resulted in Hill’s touchdown catch.

Tagovailoa joked he “misheard” the play call from Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel had no issue with his quarterback taking control on the third play in the second half that led to Miami’s fourth win of the season.

“The story is whatever we say it was, huh?” McDaniel said when asked if Tagovailoa really misheard him.

“If Tua has a better thought than I do, I prefer that. He executes, I’m not mad. I’m not upset.”