McDaniel discusses Hill injury and fallout. And Dolphins defensive news
As expected, star receiver Tyreek Hill will miss the remainder of the season with a significant knee injury, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Tuesday.
Hill suffered damage to multiple knee ligaments (including the ACL) and also sustained a dislocated knee when he was tackled by a Jets defender following a sideline catch in Monday night’s 27-21 win. Hill was carted off and driven in an ambulance to the hospital.
He was undergoing surgery on Tuesday afternoon. It’s unclear if he will be ready for the start of the 2026 season. Asked if an additional surgical procedure will be needed, McDaniel said: “It hasn’t been deemed to be anything beyond this surgery and we’re very hopeful for it to turn out well. It’s just executing this procedure and seeing what happens from there.”
McDaniel said medical professionals acted quickly, preventing a potentially more dangerous situation for Hill.
“The medical care was top flight when we absolutely needed it,” McDaniel said. “I would say from all the medical knowledge I have, or have been sped up on, that the major things that you want to avoid in something that serious were avoided.”
To replace Hill, plucked former Dolphins receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. off the Saints practice squad, a league source confirmed. Here’s more on that.
McDaniel said he expects the way teams defend the Dolphins to change but “teams [also] want to prevent explosives and will do that.”
Here are the financial consequences for Hill and the Dolphins.
Other injury news
Kicker Jason Sanders (hip) and center Andrew Meyer (lower body) are eligible to come off injured reserve this week, but neither will be healthy enough to play on Sunday at Carolina (1 p.m., WSVN 7).
▪ McDaniel said Cole Strange, who started at right guard on Monday, “was very impressive in how he quickly he adapted to our system. Can’t say enough about his preparation.”
McDaniel said right guard James Daniels, who is eligible to return from injured reserve next week, is “progressing” in his recovery from a pectoral injury and “I’ll have more information after this week.”
Defensive news
After allowing the Jets to rush for 197 yards on 7.0 per carry on Monday, the Dolphins are now third worst in the league in rushing yards permitted (632, ahead of only the Bills and Bears) and fourth worst in yards relinquished per carry, at 5.1, well above the 4.4 that Miami yielded last season.
Only the Bills (6.0), Giants (6.1) and Chicago (6.1) have given up a higher yards-per-carry average this season.
There’s plenty of blame to go around.
For Monday’s game, Pro Football Focus gave particularly poor run-defending grades to defensive tackles Matthew Butler and Kenneth Grant and linebacker Jaelan Phillips.
Defensive linemen Benito Jones and Jordan Phillips and linebacker Chop Robinson also were given below-average grades against the run.
Among 120 defensive tackles who have logged snaps in the NFL this season, Pro Football Focus ranks Phillips 96th, Zach Sieler 106th and Grant 117th. That’s their overall grade for 2025, not merely their run defense grades. Grant is still looking for his first NFL sack and tackle for loss.
Among 116 NFL edge defenders this season, PFF ranks Phillips and Robinson among the bottom 11 as run defenders.
Some notes by position, on defense, after Monday’s 27-21 win against the Jets:
Defensive line
Sieler played 50 of the Dolphins’ 63 defensive snaps, while Grant played 29, Butler 27, Phillips 16 and Jones just 13. Sieler, Grant, Butler and Phillips all started the game in a four-man front.
PFF graded Sieler seventh overall among 20 players who took defensive snaps for Miami on Monday; that was best among defensive linemen. Grant was rated 18th, worst among the defensive linemen.
Outside linebackers
Phillips played 48 of Miami’s 63 defensive snaps, and Bradley Chubb played 46. Robinson played 22 and Judon 15th.
Robinson’s second season continues to disappoint; PFF rates him as the second-worst edge player in the league this season and Miami’s second-worst defender in general on Monday ahead of only safety Dante Trader Jr., who forced a Jets fumble on a kickoff to begin the second half.
Inside linebackers
Jordyn Brooks (18 tackles) and Tyrel Dodson (nine tackles, strip sack) played all 63 snaps. Willie Gay Jr., logged just three defensive snaps and has played just 14 in four games.
Brooks’ 18 tackles (the second-highest total of his career) were by the most by a Dolphins defender since A.J. Edds had 21 in December 2006 in a game at Buffalo. What’s more, Brooks’ 15 solo tackles are the most by a Dolphins defender since at least 1999.
The other backup inside linebacker, K.J. Britt, played only on special teams against the Jets.
Among 20 Dolphins defenders on Monday, PFF rated Brooks fifth and Dodson 11th.
But both continued to struggle in pass coverage. Dodson allowed five completions in six targets for 72 yards. Brooks permitted seven catches on nine targets for 53 yards.
Safeties
Miami used three safeties on well over a dozen plays, with Minkah Fitzpatrick moving to a pseudo slot corner role at times.
Fitzpatrick played all 63 snaps, while Ashytn Davis played 53, Ifeatu Melifonwu 18, Trader 10 and Elijah Campbell three.
PFF rated Fitzpatrick fifth among all Dolphins defenders on Monday; he had a key recovery of a fumble forced by Jack Jones on the Jets’ first possession, as New York was about to score a touchdown.
Cornerbacks
The Dolphins entered the game with only four available cornerbacks. Jones played 63 snaps and Douglas 62, and PFF rated Douglas and Jones as Miami’s top defenders in the game.
Douglas allowed two catches on four targets for 28 yards, including a well-defended touchdown catch by Garrett Wilson. Jones wasn’t targeted all night, per PFF.
Nickel cornerback Cornell Armstrong played 27 snaps and PFF rated him eighth among Dolphins defenders; he permitted one completion for 10 yards.
The other available cornerback, Juju Brents, played only on special teams.
Here are nuggets on every Dolphins position on offense.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 2:20 PM.
