“I knew it was serious”: Armstead on the gruesome moment Tyreek Hill went down

On Monday night, the world watched as yet another NFL player suffered a devastating injury on the field. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s leg bent in a gruesome angle as he was tackled after a play against the New York Jets.

Former Dolphins lineman Terron Armstead, a close friend of Hill’s, opened up about the toll of NFL injuries after seeing Hill’s happen in real time.

“Just devastating, man, the human part of it,” Armstead said. “Outside of him being a great player, he’s a friend of mine, someone I see as a brother. Just to see him in pain was tough.”

“Your body is never the same again”: Terron Armstead opens up about NFL injuries

Armstead, who battled through his own long injury history before retiring earlier this year, called Hill’s injury “trauma” and emphasized the hidden sacrifices players endure, from surgeries that permanently change their bodies to playing through extreme pain. He described the NFL’s harsh reality: any play could be a player’s last.

“Before they even went to the replay, I saw the leg, the way it was turned, and I knew it was something serious,” Armstead said. “It was heartbreaking to see.”

Despite the gruesome nature of the injury, Hill remained in good spirits, smiling and clapping as he was carted off the field - something Armstead said will serve him well in the healing process.

“I’ve got chills right now, just picturing it again,” Armstead said. “I’ve never seen that before. Usually, you see a guy with a towel over his head, devastated, and through the pain, too. For him to be smiling, laughing, clapping, he’s different, man. That’s why I don’t worry about him. Mentally, he’s different.”

Armstead knows better than most what Tyreek Hill is going through. The 34-year-old spent 12 years in the NFL, first with the Saints and later with the Dolphins, battling injuries nearly every step of the way.

A devastating knee injury in his third season never fully healed, and over the years he also endured major shoulder, pectoral, and ankle injuries. Playing through pain was the norm - Armstead often needed crutches midweek, dealt with spitting up blood and peeing blood, and leaned on pain meds just to take the field on Sundays.

By the end, Armstead estimates he had 20 MRIs on his knee during his final three years in Miami, before doctors told him he’d eventually need a knee replacement. He chose to play one last season on his own terms before retiring, finishing a career that earned him nearly $116 million - a rare feat in a league where the average career lasts just three years.

Armstead says that each injury, no matter the type, alters the body forever. But his story is also one of resilience, sacrifice, and perspective on just how brutal pro football can be.

For Hill, his diagnosis was a dislocated left knee and torn ACL and other ligaments, but he fortunately avoided nerve or blood flow damage. He underwent surgery on Tuesday, and his agent says he’ll aim to return by next season.

“’Reek is such a competitor - like, the highest level of competitor,” Armstead said. “He’s going to attack his rehab. They’re going to have to slow him down.”

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