The Miami Dolphins placed wide receiver Grant DuBose on injured reserve on Tuesday, two days after a blow to the head sent him to a hospital.
The transaction ends DuBose’s season. Placement on injured reserve requires a minimum of four missed games. The Dolphins have three games remaining on their schedule.
DuBose suffered the frightening head injury during Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa targeted DuBose with a pass over the middle of the field in the third quarter. As the ball arrived, Texans safety Calen Bullock lowered his helmet and made direct contact with DuBose’s head.
DuBose went limp and remained on field for several minutes while receiving emergency medical treatment. Medical staff cut off DuBose’s jersey and removed his helmet as he remained on his back.
They eventually placed him on a backboard and placed multiple straps across his body with his arms immobilized against his body. They also placed his neck in a brace, and DuBose had an oxygen tube in his nose as staff wheeled him off the field on a stretcher.
The Dolphins later announced that he was diagnosed with a head injury and taken to a local hospital in Houston for further evaluation in stable condition. He remained in the Houston hospital overnight after the team returned home to Miami.
The Dolphins announced on Monday that DuBose had movement in all of his extremities.
“After sustaining a head injury in yesterday’s game, Grant DuBose remained at a local Houston hospital for evaluation overnight,” a Dolphins statement reads. “He has movement in all extremities, and initial tests have revealed positive results. He remains under the care of doctors for continued observation.”
Further details of his condition were not made available in Tuesday’s announcement that DuBose was being placed on injured reserve.
Bullock talked about the hit with reporters after Sunday’s game.
#Texans S Calen Bullock on if he’s worried about league punishment for his hit on #Texans WR Grant Dubose:
“No not really. Like I said, my intentions were never to go out there and just try to completely take someone out the game and hurt somebody…” pic.twitter.com/qsamlfUlER
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 15, 2024
“My intention was never to go out there and hurt nobody,” Bullock said. “That’s none of our intention. Prayer to him and his family. I hope he’s good. I just seeing the ball and I was just breaking on the ball. It just happened to be one of those types of plays.”
DuBose, 23, is a second-year pro who spent his rookie season in 2023 with the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad after being selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. He played in college at Charlotte.
The Packers released DuBose in August, and the Dolphins claimed him off waivers. He played in three total games with the Dolphins this season, including Sunday’s. He made one catch on Sunday prior to leaving the game with his head injury. DuBose finishes his second NFL season with two catches for 11 yards.
