Miami Dolphins receiver Grant DuBose was stretchered off the field during the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the host Houston Texans after taking a hard helmet-to-helmet hit while trying to catch a pass.
DuBose is in stable condition and will be hospitalized overnight at Memorial Hermann Medical Center in Houston. He underwent medical tests on his head and neck and Miami coach Mike McDaniel said the results were positive.
DuBose was down on the turf for close to 15 minutes after taking a blow to the head from safety Calen Bullock of the Texans with 9:34 left in the third quarter. Bullock was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play.
DuBose’s head also hit the ground hard and it was immediately apparent he was badly injured.
“My intention was never to go out there and hurt nobody,” Bullock said. “Prayers to him and his family. I hope he’s good.
“I was just seeing the ball and breaking on the ball and it just happened to be one of those type of plays.”
Medical personnel working on DuBose cut his uniform top off of him. They eventually placed the 23-year-old on a board before putting him on the stretcher and wheeling him off the field. His arms were strapped to his side.
After about 10 minutes of DuBose being worked on, the Miami players got together near the sideline, formed a big circle and kneeled in prayer.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he could have done a much better job with the throw in terms of keeping DuBose out of danger.
“Very tough to have seen live,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m my toughest critic when it comes to ball placement. … I just feel bad that I even put him in that situation to have gotten hit. It was tough to move on after that happened.”
When Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was asked about the Houston defense to begin a postgame television interview, he pulled an audible.
“First, I just want to send prayers to Grant,” Stroud told CBS. “Tough situation right there, I’m hoping he’s OK and praying for his recovery so he can get back on the field.”
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans delivered a similar message at the start of his press conference.
“Prayers go out to Grant DuBose,” Ryans said. “When you see a guy down on the field like that, it’s very hard to see. We were just praying that all is well with him and that he recovers quickly.”
DuBose was just activated off injured reserve due to a shoulder injury and Sunday marked his third game of the season. He had one catch for minus-2 yards against the Texans. It was his second career catch.
DuBose was a seventh-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2023. He was released shortly before this season and claimed by Miami.
–Field Level Media
