HOUSTON (AP) — Miami receiver Grant DuBose was hospitalized in steady situation and present process additional analysis after being taken off the sphere on a stretcher following a helmet-to-helmet hit in opposition to the Houston Texans on Sunday.
“There’s been some constructive suggestions associated to some head and neck imaging,” coach Mike McDaniel mentioned. “He will keep right here in a single day, and we’ll discover out extra by (Monday.)”
DuBose tried to make a catch within the third quarter, however was hit within the head by rookie Calen Bullock earlier than his head violently hit the turf. He appeared to clench each fists after the hit — actions per what’s known as the “fencing response,” which may be widespread after a traumatic mind harm — earlier than remaining immobile as medical personnel rushed to his facet.
“Very powerful to have seen reside,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa mentioned. “I’m my hardest critic in relation to ball placement, in relation to understanding the place to go along with the ball and all that. I simply really feel dangerous that I even put him in that state of affairs to have gotten hit. It was powerful to maneuver on after that occurred.”
Bullock was given a flag for pointless roughness for hitting a defenseless receiver on the play.
“I used to be praying that he can be OK,” Bullock mentioned. “I wasn’t attempting to go on the market and damage no person.”
DuBose remained on the sphere for greater than 10 minutes as he was tended to by emergency medical personnel. His jersey was lower off him and a neck brace was placed on him whereas gamers from each groups watched with concern.
At one level whereas he was down, the Dolphins moved away from him and right into a circle the place they kneeled and seemed to be praying. McDaniel and Houston coach DeMeco Ryans embraced at one level whereas he was nonetheless on the sphere.
DuBose was ultimately placed on a backbone board the place his legs and arms have been strapped down and he was taken off the sphere. A tube of some type was in his mouth and no motion could possibly be seen as he was taken off the sphere.
Tagovailoa, who has had a number of concussions in his NFL profession, together with one which had him taken off the sphere on a stretcher at Cincinnati in 2022, hated to see his teammate undergo that.
“We all know that I’ve gone by means of one thing related, and that’s no enjoyable,” he mentioned. “You by no means wish to be put in any of these conditions, however you additionally perceive that this can be a bodily sport. It’s a contact sport. Again, I simply consider what I may have completed to not put Grant in that state of affairs.”
Ryans mentioned it was powerful for each groups to maneuver on after the harm.
“When you see a man down on the sphere like that it’s very arduous to see and we’re simply praying that each one is properly with him and that he recovers as shortly as doable,” he mentioned.
McDaniel agreed and mentioned it’s troublesome to refocus on the sport after one thing traumatic comparable to that occurs.
“There’s nothing that I can say or something,” he mentioned. “You have a number of prideful guys which can be attempting to return to work, and I believe that (they’re) motivated by understanding Grant and the way he’d need us to complete the sport. It’s sadly one thing it’s a must to undergo as soon as in awhile within the sport. It’s not simple.”
DuBose was a seventh-round choose final season and returned Sunday after injuring his shoulder early within the season.
It’s the second straight Texans sport the place an opposing participant has been injured by an unlawful hit to the pinnacle after linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s hit to the pinnacle of a sliding Trevor Lawrence gave him a concussion Dec. 1.
Lawrence was scrambling within the second quarter in that sport. He initiated a slide earlier than Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. He additionally displayed the “fencing response” however quickly acquired up on his personal energy and walked to a cart which took him off the sphere.
Al-Shaair was ejected for the hit and given a three-game suspension, which was upheld on attraction.
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