Grant DuBose is doing well after taking a scary hit during the Miami Dolphins’ game last week.
The 23-year-old receiver’s head bounced hard off the turf in Houston when he was hit by the Texans’ Calen Bullock. Play stopped for more than 10 minutes as medical personnel treated DuBose, who was carted off the field and taken to an area hospital.
DuBose was back in South Florida on Thursday, walking around the Dolphins locker room and talking with his teammates as they prepared for today’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. His season is over, though, after being placed on injured reserve after the hit.
“I’ve talked to him in person. He’s in good spirits,” coach Mike McDaniel said Friday. “Beyond that, I’m totally focused on him being able to attack the day-to-day process and be healthy.”
Here’s what we know about DuBose after his injury, including his current status:
What happened to Grant DuBose? How did he get hurt?
With 9:39 remaining in the third quarter of last Sunday’s game at the Houston Texans, Grant DuBose reached out to grab a pass from Tua Tagovailoa over the middle of the field. Texans safety Calen Bullock hit DuBose hard, causing him to drop the ball and his head to bounce violently off the turf. Bullock was penalized for hitting a defenseless player.
DuBose lay on the ground with his arms apparently frozen in the “fencing posture,” a sign of head trauma. Medical personnel treated him on the field for 12 minutes, cutting his jersey off and removing his facemask and giving him oxygen. They stretchered DuBose off the field and to a local hospital. The Dolphins have not elaborated on his injury other than he suffered a “head injury.”
On Tuesday, DuBose was placed on IR, ending his season. Bullock was fined Saturday $5,916 for the illegal hit.
Is Grant DuBose still in the hospital?
No. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday DuBose was expected to return to South Florida after spending three days in a Houston-area hospital, and the receiver was seen in the Dolphins locker room Thursday.
Is Grant DuBose paralyzed?
No. The Dolphins announced Monday that DuBose “has movement in all extremities and initial tests have revealed positive results.”
DuBose was back in the Dolphins locker room Thursday and was seen walking around with shades on.
Who is Grant DuBose?
DuBose is a 23-year-old wide receiver from Montgomery, Alabama. He started at Division II Miles College in Birmingham before transferring to Charlotte in 2021. The Green Bay Packers took him in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, spending the year on the practice squad before being released during the 2024 preseason. He has played three games this season with the Dolphins.
Sunday was DuBose’ had come’s first game back after coming off injured reserve Sept. 21 with a shoulder injury.
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins players react to Grant DuBose injury
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa put part of the blame on himself for the pass that led to DuBose’s injury. “I’m my toughest critic when it comes to ball placement, when it comes to knowing where to go with the ball and all of that,” he said Sunday after the game. “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.”
Tagovailoa has suffered at least three concussions during his career with the Dolphins, including one during the same Week 2 game in which DuBose injured his shoulder.
On Monday, linebacker Anthony Walker said “we’re still praying for him,” while cornerback Kader Kohou said the positive news about DuBose is “a blessing.” Kohou said the team was thinking about DuBose’s family watching from home.
“It’s been difficult,” running back De’Von Achane said. “We were still in the game so we had to finish the game and After the game, we found out he was good.
“We’re thankful he was able to get movement. Just praying for him. You don’t want to see one of your teammates down like that. We’re keeping him in our prayers.”
Who hit Grant DuBose? What Calen Bullock said about the injury
Texans safety Calen Bullock said it wasn’t his intention to hurt DuBose on the play and that he was praying for him and his family. He said he was just breaking on the ball to make a play.
“It’s very difficult for a defensive player because we trying to think about protecting them, but we also want to protect ourselves,” Bullock said, according to KPRC in Houston. “They can hit us wrong. It’s angles, you think too much trying to protect everyone on the field, but sometimes it doesn’t happen like that. At the end of the day, it’s still a violent game.”
Bullock became the second Texans player in recent weeks to come under fire after a big hit. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was serving the second game of his three-game suspension after a late hit that gave Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence a concussion.
The rookie said after the game he didn’t expect similar punishment from the NFL, though the NFL fined him Saturday $5,916 for the illegal hit.
Grant DuBose stats
Sunday was DuBose’s third game with the Dolphins. He has two catches on four targets for 11 yards. He was expected to see more time after the Dolphins released Odell Beckham Jr. before the Texans game.
Where to watch Dolphins vs 49ers: Time, TV schedule, streaming info
When: 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22
Where: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
TV: CBS
Streaming: Paramount+ | Fubo.
