The Miami Dolphins‘ 34-13 win over the New York Jets on Black Friday had plenty of ugly moments, but the worst came early in the fourth quarter, when the MetLife Stadium turf struck yet again.
Dolphins standout pass rusher Jaelan Phillips went down with a non-contact injury at the line of scrimmage and eventually had to be carted off the field. Nearly the entire Dolphins team surrounded him as he received treatment.
The Prime Video broadcast later showed him visibly sobbing into a towel as he was taken the locker room. Replay of Phillips’ jump off the snap showed the telltale signs of an Achilles injury in Phillips’ right calf, and the Dolphins soon confirmed it was the Achilles while ruling him out for the rest of the game.
Phillips was seen on crutches and with a walking boot on his right ankle after the game. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel wasn’t optimistic about his player’s outlook after the game.
“It doesn’t look great but we’ll find out more tomorrow,” McDaniel told reporters. “I’m not fired up about it.”
Phillips later issued his own statement on social media.
Absolutely devastated, but I feel strength in knowing that this is all a part of God’s plan, and that I have an incredible team and support system around me. I’ll be back stronger than ever 💪🏽 Fins up 🐬🙏🏾
— Jaelan Phillips ;🕴🏾® (@JJPhillips15) November 25, 2023
Conversely, there were at least a few people fired up about Phillips’ injury, specifically about the potentially preventable nature of the loss. The turf at MetLife Stadium has become infamous for its track record of injuries. Opposing players call it out. Opposing coaches call it out. The Jets’ own players call it out.
In this case, the loudest voice was Dolphins safety Jevon Holland, who recorded the wildest highlight of his NFL career with a pick-six on a Hail Mary attempt by the Jets at the end of the first half. He too sustained an injury in the fourth quarter, getting pronounced as questionable to return with a knee injury after a low tackle attempt.
Holland told reporters after the game he was fine, then said the MetLife turf was “trash” and noted he had heard about its reputation going into the game.
Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert concurred, saying “We’ve got to do something about this turf and this playing surface.”
The Dolphins will now hold their breath that Phillips has avoided a season-ending injury, with confirmation likely coming on Saturday. If that is all for Phillips this year, he will finish the season with 43 combined tackles, 6.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, 11 QB hits and two passes defended.
