In the aftermath of an absolutely terrifying injury on Sunday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins have officially placed wide receiver Grant Dubose on injured reserve.
The move all but ends Dubose’s season – with only three weeks remaining in the season and players required to wait four weeks before returning from IR.
The 6-8 Dolphins are currently in ninth-place in the AFC playoff standings and are not likely to get to a playoff spot currently held by the 8-6 Los Angeles Chargers.
Dubose suffered a horrifying head injury after trying to catch a ‘hospital pass’ from Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa against the Houston Texans.
Texans defensive back Caleb Bullock made contact with DuBose at full speed, leading to the barbaric collision.
Medics rushed to help the stricken 23-year-old on the field in Houston, and cut off his jersey before putting him in a neck brace as teammates watched on.
The game was stopped for over 12 minutes while medics worked on DuBose, before he was carted off the field and transported to the local hospital.
As they knelt over him, doctors reportedly unscrewed DuBose’s helmet and applied an oxygen mask to the player.
He was hooked up to an EKG machine as he left on a backboard, with his neck in a brace.
DuBose was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston and was reported to be in stable condition during the game.
The team provided a further update on Monday morning.
‘After sustaining a head injury in yesterday’s game, Grant DuBose remained at a local Houston hospital for evaluation overnight. He has movement in all extremities and initial tests have revealed positive results. He remains under the care of doctors for continued observation,’ a team statement read.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said there was ‘positive feedback’ after DuBose got neck and head imaging done at the hospital, but that staying overnight at a local medical facility and not getting on an airplane back to Florida is what was best for the first-year Dolphin.
Dubose had been selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round with one of the final picks of the 2023 draft out of UNC Charlotte.
He did not record any statistics with the Packers and, after signing a futures contract with the team in January, he was released in August.
The Dolphins claimed him off waivers the day after he was released. He’s played little with Miami, in part due to a shoulder injury sustained in Week 2.
Dubose has recorded two catches on four targets for 11 yards in three games played this season.
In a corresponding move, the Dolphins signed former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie to the practice squad.
McKenzie spent last season on the Indianapolis Colts and he signed a deal with the New York Giants in the offseason before being released in August.
