Holland receives clearance, Tagovailoa progresses, but Hill, Waddle battling injuries
The Dolphins received mixed news on the injury front Thursday.
On the positive side: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa practiced fully and remains on track to play Sunday against visiting Arizona (1 p.m., Fox). Also, safety Jevon Holland, who missed the Colts game with a broken bone in his hand, said he received medical clearance to resume playing this week.
But star receiver Tyreek Hill popped up on the injury report with a foot injury and was limited in practice on Thursday. Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins’ other starting receiver, has been limited all week with a quadriceps injury.
Meanwhile, cornerback Kader Kohou missed practice for the second day in a row with a neck injury. Cornerback Storm Duck (ankle) and quarterback Tyler Huntley (shoulder; out Sunday) were the only other Dolphins who missed practice.
Six Dolphins were limited: Hill, Waddle, defensive lineman Zach Sieler (who popped up on the injury report with an eye injury), Holland (hand), outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah (bicep) and guard Liam Eichenberg (shoulders).
Keep in mind that any player who receives treatment for anything must be listed on the injury report.
As for Holland, he didn’t have medical clearance against Indianapolis because he had sutures in the hand and doctors “didn’t want it to get infected.”
Holland said his hand “feels like a bruise. It’s getting better. The bone itself is solid. They went in there and pulled some stuff apart, some ligaments. I’m straight. Definitely feeling better.”
Brian Duker, the Dolphins’ secondary coach, said the Dolphins are comfortable with Holland playing with a club on his hand. “Feel very good about him being able to go with the hand,” Duker said. “It’s a matter of pain tolerance. I’ve seen him make plays with one hand.”
Holland said wearing a club or covering feels “bulky, but I can play with it.”
If Kohou misses Sunday’s game with a neck injury, the Dolphins might use some three-safety looks at times, with Holland essentially playing slot corner. He said he’s fine with that.
“It’s my job; I’m going to do my job,” he said. “I played nickel in college. It’s cool.”
Here’s more about how the Dolphins could replace Kohou, according to defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Quarterback Skylar Thompson said his injured ribs and chest have fully healed and he’s preparing as if he will be the No. 2 quarterback on Sunday, behind Tagovailoa.
▪ Veteran quarterback C.J. Beathard, signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad this week after Tyler Huntley’s shoulder injury, said he’s pleased to work again with Mike McDaniel.
“Mike’s awesome. I was with him four years in San Francisco. He was one of my favorite coaches I played for. He’s always been a believer of mine, and I appreciate that. He’s a mad scientist when it comes to offensive schemes. He’s added a lot of stuff I wasn’t familiar with. But the base of the offense, the terms, I’m very familiar with.”
The Jaguars released Beathard with an injury settlement in August, and he said his injured groin was healed by early October. McDaniel reached out to him after the Jaguars released him and expressed interest.
Beathard’s grandfather, Bobby Beathard, was the Dolphins’ director of player personnel from 1972 to 1977 and a former general manager in San Diego and Washington. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 and died in January 2023, at 86, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
“He’s one of the biggest role models of my life,” C.J. Beathard said, noting it’s gratifying to finally play for a team where his grandfather worked. “Obviously he was a part of the 17-0 Dolphins. He was always so humble. There are funny stories my dad has and his brothers of playing hide and seek in the facility back then, and hiding under Don Shula’s desk.”
Beathard said he “got to sit down with Don Shula a few years back before he passed. It was me, my grandpa, my dad. He was in Nashville for some reason and we had a nice dinner with him and some of his family. It was really cool to see them connect again. My grandpa’s Alzheimer’s was kicking in a little bit.”
Shula, who holds the NFL record for coaching victories, died in 2020.
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 4:35 PM.
