Dolphins get ‘positive feedback’ on Grant DuBose after his scary head injury vs. Texans

HOUSTON — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Grant DuBose suffered a significant head injury in Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.

In the third quarter, DuBose was running across the middle on a route when Texans safety Calen Bullock collided with him, making helmet-to-helmet contact.

DuBose lied motionless on the field for more than 10 minutes as medical professionals attended to him. He had his helmet, jersey and pads removed. A bare-chested DuBose was then strapped down to a backboard and taken off on a stretcher.

The team announced, between the third and fourth quarters, that DuBose had been ruled out, was in stable condition and being taken to a local Houston hospital for further evaluation.

“There’s been some positive feedback relating to some head, neck imaging,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after Miami lost against Houston, 20-12, “but he’ll stay here overnight and we’ll find out more by (Monday).”

Most Dolphins players and several Texans knelt in prayer on the field in Houston.

“That’s very unfortunate, very tough to have seen live,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said.

“It was tough to move on after that happened. I heard some good news, that he’s doing well, he’s recovering.”

Having been stretchered off a field once himself in Cincinnati in 2022, it was a sensitive subject for Tagovailoa to touch.

“We all know that I’ve gone through something similar, and that’s no fun,” he said. “You never want to be put in any of those situations, but you also understand that this is a physical sport, it’s a contact sport.”

The Miami quarterback also regretted his throw that led DuBose into Bullock.

“I just think of what I could’ve done to have not put Grant in that situation,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m my toughest critic when it comes to ball placement, when it comes to knowing where to go with the ball and all of that, and I just feel bad that I even put him in that situation to have gotten hit.”

Dolphins players, once DuBose was taken away, had to quickly regroup to continue battling in a game with their playoff hopes on the line.

“It’s tough,” Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler said. “Praying for him and his family. … To have that happen, it’s gut-wrenching, but I think you have to rally around that and do what we can do to keep playing. Hope he’s all right. Keep praying.”

Added tight end Jonnu Smith: “You kind of got to ignore the human side of yourself and act like your teammate just didn’t go through what he went through. So that’s tough. Unfortunately, we got to go out there and continue to act like we’re players as if that did not happen.”

DuBose was in the game after starting Miami wide receiver Jaylen Waddle exited Sunday with a knee injury.

The 23-year-old undrafted wide receiver out of Charlotte was picked up by the Dolphins this preseason after he didn’t make the Green Bay Packers’ roster. DuBose then suffered a September shoulder injury against the Buffalo Bills and was reactivated off injured reserve Saturday ahead of Sunday’s game.

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