The NFL’s investigation of Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill continues, with the NFL finally speaking directly to Hill.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Hill currently is meeting in Kansas City with NFL Special Counsel for Investigations Lisa Friel as part of the league’s review of multiple potential violations of the Personal Conduct Policy by Hill. Jennifer Gaffney, who works with Friel, also is present.
Despite a report that multiple interviews of Hill will occur, the expectation is that only one interview will happen in Kansas City. If/when the NFL determines that Hill should be punished, Hill would travel to New York to meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell.
As the source explained it, issues currently on the table include the recorded comments made by Hill to Crystal Espinal (“you need to be terrified of me too, bitch”), discipline of Hill’s three-year-old son that may have crossed the line, and the circumstances that resulted in the child being removed from the custody of Hill and Espinal.
After the audio of Hill’s comments emerged, the Chiefs and Hill agreed that he would stop attending offseason workouts. Training camp opens on July 23; while Hill possibly will be present, a suspension could become effective after the preseason ends. Last year, the NFL suspended Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith four games for threatening and engaging in emotional abuse of the mother of his child, without any type of physical violence.
Hovering over the entire situation is Hill’s history of violence against Espinal. He previously pleaded guilty to choking and beating her while she was pregnant. Hill has never been disciplined by the league for that incident (it happened before he was drafted), but the Personal Conduct Policy allows pre-NFL misbehavior to be used as an aggravating factor when establishing punishment for misconduct that happens after the player joins an NFL team.
With three different possible violations and the aggravating circumstances arising from his past behavior, Hill could still be facing a lengthy suspension.