KC radio station KCSP on Tuesday aired an extended 11-minute version of a conversation between Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill and his fiancee Crystal Espinal.
In the recording, Hill repeatedly denies causing injuries to the couple's 3-year-old son, telling Espinal, “I would never ever hurt my son in life.”
Kansas City television station KCTV in April aired portions of the audio, ostensibly recorded by Espinal without Hill's knowledge. The recording took place at the Dubai International Airport in March as the couple prepared to return to the United States. The pair can be heard discussing their luggage with security.
But significant portions of the audio not previously available centered on discussions of the December 2014 incident between the two that led to Hill pleading guilty to a domestic assault charge. Espinal alleged Hill struck and choked Espinal, who was then pregnant with the couple's child. Hill received three years probation stemming from the plea, although an Oklahoma court expunged the conviction in 2018.
In the audio, Hill denies striking Espinal during the 2014 incident, telling her, “you ruined my life and you lied on me in 2014, bro.”
“And if you want to rewind that night we can rewind that night too, (expletive). You was in my house. And did I pick you up and slam you? Hell no, I picked you up and put you out my door and after that you left. And on my son you did that, bro. And then then you get in the courtroom you want to sit up there and cry on the stand. ‘He hit me, he hit me.’ Man, come on bro.”
While the full contents of the audio are new to the general public, the NFL and the Chiefs previously obtained the full audio recording. Hill discussed the audio with NFL investigators during an eight-hour meeting on June 26.
Hill's attorneys also addressed portions of the audio in a four-page letter sent to NFL investigators May 2. While the letter underscored Hill's denials he caused any harm to his child, it did not address portions of the conversation related to the 2014 incident.
KCSP host Carrington Harrison said the station received the recording on June 7 and spent the past month attempting to authenticate the recording. He indicated the station provided the audio to a third-party investigator for authentication.
The public release of the audio does not expect to impact the NFL's timeline for dispensing any punishment for Hill under the league's personal code of conduct policy. Hill remains indefinitely suspended by the Chiefs, but the league expects to issue a ruling before the beginning of training camp. The Chiefs expect Hill to report for training camp in St. Joseph on July 26, a source confirms to Chiefs Digest.
