Tua Tagovailoa’s Struggling RB Makes Promise to Dolphins After Completing Surgery for Neck Injury

For the Miami Dolphins, the preseason was more grit than glitz. Tua Tagovailoa, who begins another defining year at quarterback, recently said, ”Really it’s us against ourselves,” to the reporters. ”What are we doing every single day to get each other better, but then what are we doing to get ourselves better… to get that guy on the other side of the ball better?” It was the sort of message that didn’t have to be delivered pep–style. Because it wasn’t intended to pep-talk outsiders. It was for the room. For the men who get it that, in the NFL, the hardest opponent is not across the line of scrimmage, but in the mirror. And sometimes the best demonstration of that “next man up” mantra is given not by the star quarterback himself, but by those who have to battle against a much less conventional foe.

On Sunday, Tua Tagovailoa’s teammate, running back Alexander Mattison, delivered such a message. One that spoke more powerfully than any game plan. On Instagram from the hospital, Mattison simply wrote, “Thank you so much for all the love and support. To all that have reached out and sent love and prayers, it is truly appreciated. All is well and God is good. This may be the end of my season but it is not the end of my story. This adversity is opportunity.”

He went on to promise his loved ones and the Dolphins squad he’d use this setback to become “the best version of myself… as a father, husband, brother, friend, teammate.” For a player who has been battling to work his way into more playing time in Miami’s talent-laden backfield. The words sounded more than a personal motivational speech. It was like a vow to his team and its fans. The timing was calculated to make the news more poignant.

Mattison had been playing well during the preseason. Showing flashes of the bruising, chain-churning toughness that made him worth so much more to Minnesota. Miami signed him to a one-year contract, hoping he would plug an unmet short-yardage need that the Dolphins had struggled to fill for years. But in the instant, a 21-yard reception collision off the Chicago Bears altered everything. 

But rather than being disappointed, he made it a learning experience. Something that his coaches and teammates have learned to expect from the “Mad Dog” player. Mattison’s effort in camp hadn’t gone unnoticed. Head coach Mike McDaniel applauded his versatility, remarking half facetiously that every time Mattison ran off a long gain, he needed to be reminded that this was not a short-yardage running back.

“I think ‘Mad Dog’ himself is a great example of, ‘No, here we allow your play to tell us who you are and how you adjust to coaching and how willing you are to invest in your game and your team,’” McDaniel stated earlier this month. His physicality, vision, and ability to play any position added another aspect to Miami’s offense.

Tua Tagovailoa’s teammate is finishing surgery for a neck injury

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Mattison underwent season-ending neck surgery Sunday night in Chicago. Just hours after the hit that sidelined him. The injury occurred in the first quarter of Miami’s preseason matchup with the Bears. He was tackled awkwardly at the end of a long pass play. Sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Mattison is okay but that the Dolphins didn’t hesitate in placing him on season-ending injured reserve Monday evening.

The injury is a hard pill to swallow, considering how well Mattison had been meshing with the Miami offensive scheme. With Achane, second-year running back Jaylen Wright, and rookie Ollie Gordon II added to the backfield, Mattison’s veteran presence brought a stabilizing element. His skill at reading blitzes and serving as a consistent threat in the passing game made him a security blanket for Tagovailoa. Something that will be harder to replicate.

With Mattison out, the Dolphins signed veterans Mike Boone and Aaron Shampklin to fight for playing time. They will join the battle with Gordon minutes behind Wright and Achane. The team still maintains some depth, but losing Mattison’s leadership and versatility creates an absence that can’t be simply compensated by some new roster face. For now, Mattison’s journey shifts from game prep to recovery, and his words will linger in the Dolphins’ locker room. In a year where Miami’s success will hinge on focus and unity. The message from their injured RB might end up being just as valuable as any yard gained on the field.