Chiefs' Mathieu condemns Hill's alleged abuse: 'It's very disappointing'
Warning: Story contains sensitive content/coarse language
Tyrann Mathieu, the Kansas City Chiefs' prized free-agent acquisition, spoke out Wednesday against new teammate Tyreek Hill in light of the abuse allegations facing him.
"I think it's bad, man," Mathieu told SB Nation Radio on Tuesday. "Obviously, it's very disappointing. I came to the Chiefs with hopes that I could watch him play football and watch him run back punts and catch long bombs and outrun everybody. It's a very unfortunate situation. I haven't been his teammate much - just basically two or three weeks - so it's not really fair for me to comment on his character. I don't think I really know him.
"But like I said, just with everything that's out right now and obviously the audio, it's very disappointing, not only from a teammate standpoint but I'm a father as well. It's very disappointing."
Hill is under police investigation for child abuse. In an audiotape sent to authorities last week, his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, is heard asking him why their 3-year-old son said "Daddy" caused his serious arm injury. Hill later tells her, "You need to be terrified of me too, bitch."
He was arrested for domestic violence in 2014 after Espinal, who was pregnant with their child at the time, accused him of physically beating and choking her.
The Chiefs suspended Hill from team activities after the release of the audiotape. The NFL is expected to place him on the commissioner's exempt list, keeping him on paid leave while the investigation unfolds.
Hill entered the NFL in 2015 and has been one of the league's most prolific wide receivers since then.
Mathieu, a former Pro Bowl safety, signed a three-year, $42-million deal with Kansas City in March.