Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle left the team's clash with the Houston Texans on Sunday with a knee injury and was listed as questionable to return.

Waddle's legs appeared to get rolled up on while he was blocking in the second quarter of the contest. He left the field and hobbled to the locker room.

The Dolphins' wide receiver depth was already thin entering the game, as they waived veteran Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday.

Waddle was targeted twice, failing to record a catch before entering the locker room.

The 26-year-old was listed as a limited participant in practice throughout the week leading up to Sunday with a hamstring issue, but he didn't receive a game status designation heading into the matchup with Houston.

Waddle had appeared in each of Miami's first 13 regular-season games.

He missed time in 2023 due to ankle issues, but he suited up in 33 of a possible 34 contests through the first two years of his career.

After the Dolphins clinched a playoff spot last season due to an imposing offense headlined by Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Waddle, they sat at just 6-7 entering Sunday's contest with Tagovailoa missing time in 2024.

Miami's signal-caller was ruled out of four consecutive games from Week 3 through Week 7 due to a concussion and the offense struggled to stay afloat in his absence. The Dolphins went 1-3 over that span, while Waddle averaged a mere 29.8 yards per game and failed to find the end zone.

On the season as a whole, the former first-round pick has caught 54 of his 74 targets for 700 yards and two touchdowns.

Until Waddle is able to return, Hill's role will grow larger while Grant DuBose and Malik Washington could see extended playing time.

The Miami Dolphins waived wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday, nine games into his tenure with the team.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Beckham and the Dolphins agreed to a mutual parting of ways with the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver looking to join another team before the end of the season.

Beckham signed a one-year deal worth up to $8.3 million with the Dolphins in the offseason. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo noted the veteran wideout is only owed about $200,000 for the remainder of the season if a team were to put in a waiver claim on him.

The hope when Miami brought in Beckham was to get a reliable third option in the passing game after relying so heavily on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in 2023. That duo combined for 275 targets last year. No one else had more than more than 43.

While the Dolphins did find more pass-catching help with Jonnu Smith and Devon Achane emerging as reliable options, Beckham has struggled to make any sort of impact on the field.

Beckham began this season on the physically unable to perform list, sitting out the first four weeks. He has played sparingly since returning in Week 5, catching just nine passes for 55 yards with no touchdowns.

The Dolphins listed Beckham as a DNP for the first two practices this week, citing personal reasons. He posted a cryptic message on his Instagram Stories on Thursday, suggesting a move from Miami might be coming.

There are a list of playoff contenders that could use help at wide receiver, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders and Houston Texans. It's unclear if anyone will have interest in Beckham at this point in his career, but he will be available for all 32 teams as a free agent as early as Monday if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa revealed Wednesday that he hired security to guard his home after his car was broken into last year.

Speaking to reporters after practice, Tagovailoa said: "[It was] a little too close for my comfort with my family being in the house. So we got personal security to take care of all of that. When we're on the road, we've got someone with my wife, got someone also at the house, surveying the house."

Tua also noted that his security is armed, so he urged people to "think twice" if they were considering trying to burglarize his home.

Tua's comments came amid a recent rash of break-ins at the homes of prominent NFL players.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce had their homes burglarized in October, while someone broke into Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's home during Monday night's game between the Bengals and Dallas Cowboys.

Per ESPN, the FBI briefed the NFL and other major professional sports leagues on targeted burglaries last month, noting that the break-ins typically occur when it is known that the athletes are in the middle of a game.

Tagovailoa, 26, is in his fifth NFL season with the Dolphins on the heels of signing a huge contract extension during the offseason.

Tua inked a four-year, $212.4 million deal, which made him the league's fifth-highest-paid quarterback annually.

Last season, Tagovailoa was named a Pro Bowler for the first time, as he completed 69.3 percent of his passes, threw for a league-high 4,624 yards and tossed 29 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions.

While a concussion cost Tagovailoa four games this season, he has been highly productive again when healthy, completing an NFL-best 73.8 percent of his passing attempts for 2,456 yards, 17 touchdowns and only four picks.

Although the Dolphins struggled to a 1-3 record during Tua's absence, they have now won four of their past five games, putting them back in the playoff mix at 6-7.

Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will look to keep their recent string of good play going Sunday when they go on the road to face the Houston Texans.

Some within the NFL reportedly believe Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel could be on the hot seat depending on how the remainder of the 2024 season plays out.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, "some have their eye on Miami and wonder whether there's a change if things end badly this season."

The Dolphins reached the playoffs in each of their first two seasons under McDaniel, but at 6-7, they are currently two games out of a playoff spot in the competitive AFC.

While Miami started slow this season with records of 1-3 and 2-6, the Dolphins have won four of their past five games to get back in the playoff race.

Miami went 1-3 in the four games quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed due to a concussion, and it is fair to wonder where the team would be had he been able to remain fully healthy.

McDaniel's offense is a different animal with Tua at the controls, as evidenced by the fact that he has thrown for 1,301 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions over the past four games.

Offensive success is the biggest argument in favor of keeping McDaniel, as the Dolphins have consistently had one of the best units in the league during his tenure as head coach.

During his first year at the helm, the Dolphins ranked sixth in total offense and 11th in scoring offense, and they got even better last season, ranking second in total offense and first in scoring offense.

McDaniel has gotten the most out of offensive weapons such as wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and running back De'Von Achane, and it is fair to wonder if a new coach would be able to do the same.

However, McDaniel's teams have also had some shortcomings in both cold-weather and playoff games.

Per ESPN's Rob Demovsky, the Dolphins have not won a game with a kickoff temperature under 40 degrees since 2016.

The Dolphins were eliminated in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and both of them were cold-weather road games against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

Miami also blew a three-game lead in the AFC East last season, losing out on the divisional title with a Week 18 home loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo already clinched the division this year, leaving the Dolphins to battle it out for a wild-card spot with the likes of the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers.

Given that McDaniel signed a contract extension with the Dolphins through 2028 just prior to the start of the 2024 season, it is fair to wonder if ownership will give him a bit more leeway.

Simply making the playoffs despite being without his starting quarterback for a month may be enough to save McDaniel's job for now, but if Miami falls short of the postseason, there are at least some rumblings within the league that McDaniel could be in danger of losing his job.

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith had the highest possible praise for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after the two linked up for a game-winning touchdown pass in overtime of Sunday's 32-26 win over the New York Jets.

"It was kind of off schedule," he told SI.com's Albert Breer of the play. "Tua just sat in the pocket and found me. I just locked eyes with him. I knew what was coming. We got the best quarterback in the world. He couldn't have thrown a better ball."

"I'm here with him day in and day out," he continued. "I see it. If you were a receiver, pass catcher, you'd want this guy as a quarterback, end of story. He throws the most catchable ball you can imagine, beyond accurate. Just poise in the pocket, a great person, a great leader, all of these things that you want in your quarterback. I've been around a lot of guys, a lot of great quarterbacks. This guy, to me, right now, I always say it, he's the best quarterback in the world right now."

Most NFL fans and pundits would probably say that's a bit of an exaggeration. Three-time champion and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes is still playing, after all, and then there is this season's MVP frontrunner in Josh Allen, two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow to also consider.

But Tagovailoa is starting to make a case for being the fifth-best quarterback in football this season. He's now thrown for 2,456 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions in nine games, completing 73.8 percent of his passes while taking 18 sacks. The 6-7 Dolphins are 5-4 in his starts and looking to crawl their way back into playoff contention.

They'll probably need to win out to have a shot. If Tagovailoa continues to play at a high level and stays healthy, however, it's not out of the question. Smith, at the very least, believes in him wholeheartedly.

YouTuber iShowSpeed gained attention recently after he raced Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles and gave him a decent challenge.

He now has a new athlete looking for a high-stakes race. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, arguably the fastest player in the NFL, said he wants to race iShowSpeed for $100,000, though Hill said the money must go to his foundation if he wins.

"The thing about racing Speed is like, you gave Noah Lyles a chance to win $100k, give me that same chance," Hill said on his YouTube channel. "We can race wherever you want to race, because I already know I'm faster than you. Why waste my time? I've got a lot of respect for what you're trying to do and all the attention you're trying to grab, but it's like, you're not faster than me, and we can bet any amount that you want to bet... I'll race that boy for $100k if he donates it to my foundation."

iShowSpeed has yet to respond to Hill's challenge, but it would be entertaining if he were to accept.

As he awaits a response, Hill will look to close out what has been a disappointing season strong. The veteran has recorded just 654 receiving yards and four touchdowns amid a 5-7 season for Miami.

Cold weather remains the Miami Dolphins' kryptonite, as their three-game winning streak came to an end on Thanksgiving night with a 30-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers at a frigid Lambeau Field.

Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks was unhappy with their performance, saying after the loss that they played "soft" and the "elements played a part" in their performance.

Packers running back Josh Jacobs agreed with Brooks' assessment, telling reporters the Dolphins "looked cold out there"

The Dolphins entered Thursday having lost 11 straight games when the temperature at kickoff was 40 degrees or below. Their last victory in a game with those weather conditions was against the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 24, 2016, one year before Tua Tagovailoa's freshman season at Alabama.

Tagovailoa said coming into the game that he was "excited to kill narratives" when asked about the team's struggles in cold weather. Temperature at kickoff at Lambeau was 27 degrees, with the wind chill making it feel like 18 degrees.

Things couldn't have started worse for the Dolphins. The defense forced a three-and-out on the opening possession, but Malik Washington missed a catch on the punt. The Packers recovered at Miami's nine-yard line and scored three plays later when Jordan Love hit Jayden Reed.

After the Dolphins punted on their first possession, the Packers drove 76 yards for another touchdown to take a 14-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter. They later went up 24-3 at halftime.

Tagovailoa had a good statistical game, finishing 37-of-46 for 365 yards and two touchdowns. He did miss some throws in critical moments that contributed to the Miami's struggles on offense.

The Dolphins got down to the Packers' one-yard line trailing 27-11 early in the fourth quarter. Tagovailoa missed a throw to Jonnu Smith on third down, then got sacked on fourth down to end the drive and any shot of a comeback.

Miami's defense got gashed by allowing 388 total yards and 7.3 yards per play. That unit held each of the last three opponents under 20 points and fewer than 100 yards rushing. The Packers racked up 114 yards on the ground.

The loss dropped the Dolphins to 5-7 overall and two games behind the Denver Broncos for the final wild card spot in the AFC. They likely won't have to worry about cold weather for awhile, as their next three games are home against the New York Jets, at NRG Stadium with a retractable roof against the Houston Texans and home against the San Francisco 49ers.

Weather could be a factor in the Dolphins' final two games, as they are on the road against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 before wrapping up the regular season against the Jets at MetLife Stadium.

These next three weeks will be Miami's best chance to potentially get back in the playoff race.

The Miami Dolphins had an opportunity to grab a statement win on Thanksgiving Day.

Instead, it was another tough loss to swallow.

The Dolphins fell behind 24-3 at halftime and eventually fell 30-17 to the Green Bay Packers to drop to 5-7 on the season.

Green Bay produced 389 yards of offense. Quarterback Jordan Love went 21-of-27 for 274 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs had a rushing touchdown, Jayden Reed had two receiving touchdowns and kicker Brandon McManus was 3-of-3 on field goals with a long of 46 yards.

Miami produced 345 offensive yards but the majority came in the passing game. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went 32-of-40 for 330 yards and two touchdowns, but did notably take five sacks.

The push at the end made things interesting but the halftime deficit was still something Miami could not overcome.

Fans took to social media to blast Tagovailoa and the Dolphins for the slow start and the continued struggles in cold weather against good teams.

Green Bay improves to 9-3 and remains in strong position to qualify for the postseason. The Packers have two tough divisional opponents in the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings but still look like a true contender in the NFC.

Miami, on the other hand, failed to string a fourth consecutive win together and missed an opportunity to gain ground in the AFC. The Dolphins are still two games behind the Denver Broncos for the final Wild Card spot and will need to close very strong to pull off the comeback.

Five months after retiring from the NFL, two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaq Barrett is looking to return to the field.

Barrett's agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey, told ESPN's Adam Schefter their client has applied for reinstatement with the goal of being able to play immediately.

The Miami Dolphins signed Barrett to a one-year deal in March, so they hold his contractual rights if he does get reinstated by the NFL.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald noted Barrett is "fine" playing for the Dolphins if he is reinstated.

Barrett's decision to retire from the NFL right before the start of training camp in July seemingly came out of nowhere. He wrote on Instagram that it would be a "surprise" to a lot of people, but he had been thinking about it for "a while" and it was a "clear" decision for him.

The Dolphins signed Barrett after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a move to clear cap space. He played five seasons with the Bucs from 2019 to '23, winning a Super Bowl in 2020.

Barrett originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2014. He established himself as a role player in their defense for four seasons before signing with the Bucs as a free agent.

Tampa Bay utilized Barrett as a starting outside linebacker right away. He responded by leading the NFL with 19.5 sacks and finishing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2019.

If Barrett is reinstated by the NFL, he could be a difference-maker for Miami. The Dolphins desperately need any pass-rush help they can get. Their 21 sacks are tied for the fifth-fewest in the league this season.

Calais Campbell and Zach Sieler are tied for the team lead with four sacks. Campbell also leads the team with nine tackles for loss.

The Dolphins (5-6) have won three straight games to put themselves back into the AFC playoff picture. They are one game behind the Denver Broncos (7-5) in the loss column for the final wild-card spot.