Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, often referred to as the “Cheetah” for his blazing speed on the field, is currently making headlines not just for his impressive performance in the NFL but also due to his involvement in two paternity suits brought against him by women seeking child support. These legal battles are unfolding in the Florida courts, and DailyMail.com has exclusive insights into the ongoing drama.
In the midst of an outstanding season, where Hill has been on pace to potentially rewrite NFL record books with his remarkable statistics, he finds himself facing these paternity lawsuits, which have garnered significant attention. This has raised questions about the impact of his personal life on his football career and MVP candidacy.
The first of the two lawsuits is filed by Brittany Lackner, a woman who claims that Hill is the father of her child, born in February. According to Lackner, Hill offered her a monthly child support payment of $2,500, which she considers woefully inadequate given Hill’s status as a superstar athlete earning approximately $30 million annually. Lackner, a woman with more than 30,000 followers on her travel-focused TikTok account, has posted pictures and videos of her child wearing a Miami Dolphins jersey with Hill’s name and number on it. She insists that a prenatal paternity test has already established Hill as the father with more than a 99.9% probability.
The second lawsuit involves Kimberly Baker, who came forward in May, alleging that her child, Trae Love Hill, was conceived during her involvement with Tyreek Hill in August 2022. Like Lackner, Baker was also receiving $2,500 per month in child support from Hill, as indicated in Broward County court filings.
If these women succeed in their legal actions, Hill could face a substantial increase in the child support payments he is already making to support his three children with his former partner, Crystal Espinal, who is 28 years old. This legal battle adds to Hill’s already complex personal history, which includes past incidents of domestic assault.
In 2015, Hill pleaded guilty to domestic assault and was expelled from the Oklahoma State football team for choking Espinal while she was pregnant with their first son, Zev Carter. This disturbing incident resulted in a tarnished reputation for Hill and created a cloud of controversy surrounding his career.
Furthermore, in 2019, Hill faced allegations of child abuse, which led to his suspension by the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he was later reinstated after asserting his innocence and a district attorney’s determination that there was insufficient evidence to support the claims that he had broken his son’s arm. Subsequently, Espinal took Hill to court in Johnson County, Kansas, to establish paternity and child support for their twins, Nakeem and Nyla.
Despite these controversies, the Chiefs signed Hill to a lucrative three-year, $54 million extension, and he played a significant role in their victory in Super Bowl LIV. Hill later joined the Miami Dolphins in a blockbuster trade and signed a record-breaking four-year, $120 million extension for a wide receiver. This seemed to indicate that his football prowess often outweighed his off-field issues in the eyes of NFL teams.
However, off the field, Hill faced another altercation when he was captured on CCTV allegedly slapping a Miami marina employee during an incident on June 18. The victim chose not to press charges, but this incident added to the scrutiny surrounding Hill’s behavior outside of the NFL arena.
As Tyreek Hill continues to make headlines for his athletic achievements and personal controversies, it remains to be seen how these legal battles will affect his career and reputation. His potential as a candidate for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, driven by his exceptional on-field performance, could be overshadowed by these off-field issues, raising questions about the role of an athlete’s personal life in their professional success and recognition.
Hill’s ongoing legal troubles also serve as a reminder of the complexities that can arise in high-profile athletes’ lives, where personal decisions and actions are subject to intense public scrutiny. As the legal proceedings unfold, the NFL community and fans will closely follow the developments surrounding Tyreek Hill, both as an athlete and as an individual grappling with his personal responsibilities and legal obligations.