The New York Jets play their first divisional game this week against the Miami Dolphins. When they do, they’ll face a receiver they almost landed this offseason via trade.
When the Kansas City Chiefs were looking to trade WR Tyreek Hill, the two teams that became the most-likely destination for Hill were the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins. With the Dolphins heading to New York this week, the media took the opportunity to ask Hill about his decision to be traded to the Dolphins instead of the Jets and how close he actually came to becoming a Jet. It all boils down to money.
“It was very close to happening,” Hill said. “Just those state taxes, man. I had to make a grown-up decision.”
In this case, there are no state taxes to worry about. Florida does not have any state income taxes while New Jersey taxes 10.75 percent on individuals making more than $5 million per year. Hill’s new contract he signed with the Dolphins averages $30 million per year. Had he signed that deal with the Jets, he would have been taxed $3 million by the state of New Jersey. (H/T Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post)
Earlier this year, Drew Rosenhaus, Hill’s agent, also noted that the Jets were close to landing Hill, saying “There was a time when we were talking to [the Jets] — it was almost a done deal.” He added, “So the Dolphins got in in the nick of time there to get this done, and I give them a lot of credit because a lot goes into this type of contract.”
Those pesky taxes always get in the way.
