Tyreek Hill, a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, is sharing details about a “traumatic” police stop that led to him being detained and placed in handcuffs.

In an interview with reporter Taylor Rooks, which was aired by Amazon Prime before the Dolphins’ game against the Buffalo Bills, Hill discussed the incident that occurred just days prior, during a routine traffic check in Miami.

Hill admitted he hasn’t completely come to terms with the events that unfolded before the Dolphins’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“It’s challenging. It’s really hard. Experiencing something like that is traumatic,” Hill expressed to Rooks. “It’s embarrassing for my family and my children. My wife (Keeta) is pregnant and was understandably worried. I’m still trying to make sense of it all, piecing the puzzle together.”

While Hill never intended to be an emblem for police brutality, the eight-time Pro Bowler said he plans to use his experience to highlight the issue of excessive force by law enforcement.

“I have the opportunity to raise awareness on a problem that this country has been attempting to address for many years,” Hill stated. “Every situation has its positives and negatives; what matters is how you respond to it.”

At 30 years old, Hill remarked, “You gain wisdom from what happened, and you need to be accountable for your actions.”

Body camera footage released on Monday captured the encounter between Hill and police officers from Miami-Dade after he was stopped while heading to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. He was issued citations for careless driving, driving at around 60 mph, and for not wearing a seatbelt. The traffic stop escalated when Hill partially closed his window while presenting his ID.

“In that moment, the officer was concerned for his safety, and I was worried about being photographed getting pulled over before a game. I attempted to compromise by showing my ID while keeping my window slightly up,” Hill explained, adding that “there’s no law” preventing him from rolling up his window. “But does that justify them pulling me out of my car? Absolutely not. It doesn’t give them permission to physically handle me.”

Hill claimed that one officer attempted to provoke him while he was in custody.

“While I was in handcuffs, one of the officers was pinching me on the back of my neck, trying to bait me into a reaction. It was truly outrageous,” Hill commented.

Hill mentioned he watched the police body camera footage just once.

“I can’t bear to watch it again. My mom and wife have likely seen it countless times,” Hill shared.

He hopes to use this entire experience to “initiate change.”

“It’s essential for both parties to be accountable. I will own my mistakes and I expect to see accountability from their side as well,” Hill asserted. “I’m not interested in comments from the police officers. We need to engage with higher authorities. We will have some difficult discussions, but hopefully, we can facilitate change. I believe we can.”

Regarding calls to boycott the national anthem following the incident with law enforcement, Hill stated he won’t participate because he prefers to keep football as a separate realm. “Football is my escape,” he emphasized.