(TSX / STATS) MIAMI, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins officially placed quarterback Ryan Tannehill on injured reserve Saturday morning after he sustained a serious knee injury last week.
Tannehill will undergo reconstructive surgery on a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and miss the entire 2017 season, according to multiple reports Friday.
The 29-year-old Tannehill could have elected to rest his left knee for six to eight weeks and attempt a comeback, but he elected for surgery instead. Reconstructive surgery to an ACL generally sidelines an athlete for nine to 12 months.
Dolphins coach Adam Gase said Saturday he is confident Tannehill will be ready for 2018 and will be around the team this season.
“There are going to be times where he’ll be rehabbing at other facilities,” Gase said. “But there will be some weeks where he’s going to be around a lot, and he’ll be able to help the coaching staff and help the players.”
Tannehill initially injured his knee against the Arizona Cardinals in December, partially tearing the ACL. It was reinjured on Aug. 3, when he fell to the ground while scrambling toward the sideline in practice.
Tannehill has started 77 games for the Dolphins over five NFL season. His 62.7 career completion percentage is second in team history and his 86.5 career passer rating is third among all-time Dolphins quarterbacks.
Tannehill had his most efficient season as a professional in 2016, his first under Gase, completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 2,995 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a career-best 93.5 passer rating in 13 games. He originally joined the Dolphins as a first-round pick (eighth overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft.
“It was probably tougher for me. It’s more and more real. It’s unfortunate for him. He worked so hard,” Gase told reporters Saturday when asked about his conversation with Tannehill.
Tannehill’s $17.98 million salary for this year is fully guaranteed. Only $5.53 million of his $17.48 million 2018 salary is guaranteed against injury.
Miami and quarterback Jay Cutler agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal last Sunday after Tannehill’s injury. The 34-year-old Cutler initially retired from the NFL and was hired by Fox Sports as a game analyst.
The former Chicago quarterback worked with Gase when the latter was offensive coordinator of the Bears in 2015. Cutler enjoyed success in his one season playing under Gase as he compiled a career-best 92.3 quarterback rating, throwing for 3,659 yards and 21 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
Cutler practiced Saturday and could play in Thursday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.
“If he feels good enough to go on Thursday, where the pocket feel is there and he feels like he’s in a good place, then he’ll go,” Gase said.
Matt Moore, who went 2-2 for last season in place of Tannehill, also is on the roster.
Meanwhile, Mike Pouncey, the three-time Pro Bowl center, participated in 11-on-11 drills in practice Saturday, marking the first time since being sidelined in November by a hip ailment. He was limited to five games last season.
“It’s all the way healed back up,” Pouncey said of his hip. “It’s just that we want to ease back into it since I’ve been out for eight months.”
The Dolphins also announced they signed linebacker Junior Sylvestre.
Sylvestre joins the Dolphins after spending part of the 2017 offseason with the Buffalo Bills and the 2016 offseason and training camp with the Indianapolis Colts. He originally entered the NFL with the Colts as an undrafted college free agent out of Toledo on May 4, 2016.
Photo credit – Lynne Slodky / Associated Press / Miami, FL