Tyreek Hill’s path back to Kansas City just got a lot murkier.
The former Chiefs wide receiver came out of his civil trial facing a mixed outcome, with a jury finding him liable on two counts of battery while rejecting the eight other claims included in the lawsuit filed by his estranged wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro. According to ESPN’s Xuan Thai, Vaccaro is set to receive $500,000 in compensatory damages, while her request for punitive damages was denied.
Hill’s side left the courtroom sounding relieved. One of his attorneys, Christi Bright, said Hill was “grateful” for the verdict and “very pleased that he was able to get his story out.”
The case went to the jury with an eight-person panel - five men and three women - and they reached their decision after four hours of deliberation. Hill also took the stand during the trial, where he addressed several allegations of physical and verbal abuse tied to his interactions with Vaccaro.
Now the bigger football question is whether any of this changes his market, and especially whether it affects a possible return to the Chiefs. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said the situation is “fluid” and added that “a deal could happen any time.”
Rosenhaus laid out the kind of landing spot he’d like to see next, saying the ideal move would come in midseason to a winning team that needs a wide receiver. He also said he wants Hill to go to a club with “a pretty good quarterback,” a description that sure sounds like it could point toward Kansas City, where the Chiefs are 4-0 with Patrick Mahomes back under center and playing well.
The Chiefs’ receiver room also has its own issues. Tyquan Thornton is out after suffering a serious ankle injury against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Rashee Rice has been dealing with a hamstring injury. That leaves the position in a “fluid” spot of its own.
There are still other hurdles between Hill and any comeback. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that it isn’t clear whether Hill is fully recovered from the serious knee injury he suffered last September while playing for the Miami Dolphins. Rosenhaus has said Hill is “getting there real soon,” and has pointed to workout videos the wideout posted over the summer.
Then there’s the NFL’s investigation into Hill’s violation of the league’s Personal Conduct Policy. That process is expected to move toward completion now that the civil trial is over.
Kansas City had been linked to Hill before the trial began, and several stars reportedly endorsed the idea of bringing him back. For now, though, it’s still unclear where the Chiefs stand after the verdict and the settlement of Hill’s civil matters.
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