While the recent rumors surrounding former Chiefs and Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill have been centered around the possibility of his potential return to the NFL, elsewhere in the news cycle today, Hill and his estranged wife were in attendance for the first day of their civil trial against each other. According to The Athletic’s Jesse Newell, in today’s proceedings, Lakeeta Vaccaro Hill detailed the alleged abuse she sustained throughout their relationship.
Vaccaro and Hill are currently going through ongoing divorce proceedings, but the purpose of the civil trial is for Vaccaro to seek punitive and compensatory damages for domestic violence allegations she levied 13 months ago. The NFL later announced that they would investigate the domestic violence allegations against Hill, though these investigations usually trail behind those of the courts quite a bit. With Vaccaro filing for divorce and alleging eight separate incidents of domestic violence, the proceedings aren’t certain to conclude anytime soon.
Today marked the start of the civil trial, Vaccaro gave her testimony, which included an accusation that Hill “attempted to punch at her stomach while she was pregnant with his child in July 2024.” The incident allegedly came after the couple had visited ESPN headquarters. It was said that Hill got angry with Vaccaro after she “declined to get professional hair and makeup done for potential interviews there.”
Vaccaro claimed that, later at the hotel that night, Hill’s anger led to him attempting to punch her stomach. She testified that put her own hands on her stomach in an attempt to block his attacks, and the strikes made contact with her hands. Hill allegedly told her at that time “that he didn’t want the baby,” per Newell. Her testimony detailed an extended history of other incidents throughout their relationship, but she described the day at the hotel as “probably the worst of all” the incidents.
Hill did have a history of domestic violence before his relationship with Vaccaro. The reason he sports West Alabama as his alma mater is because he was kicked off the team at Oklahoma State after pleading guilty to domestic assault and battery by strangulation charges from his 20-year-old pregnant girlfriend in 2014. Hill was also investigated for a domestic disturbance involving Vaccaro two years ago but wasn’t charged. He doesn’t seem to have any intention of pleadinf out this time. His attorneys spent the later parts of today cross examining Vaccaro in an attempt to poke holes in her story, and the cross examination will continue tomorrow.
It will be interesting to see if Hill’s legal activities poke a hole in his plans to return to the NFL. Recent reports indicated that Kansas City was interested in a reunion. Injuries to wideouts Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton have left the cupboard bare at receiver. The receiving corps will operate with four healthy bodies, assuming Rice and Thornton remain out, featuring Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Cyrus Allen, and Nikko Remigio. It was reported yesterday that Hill would begin negotiations for his next contract with the hope to play again by November.
It remains unclear if he will be able to perform to the best of his abilities upon his NFL return. With more legal proceedings in the near future, though Hill may have his focus split, and even if a team signs him, the NFL’s investigation may continue to keep him off the field.