Tannehill hit in practice gives Dolphins a scare
Quarterback slow to get up in training camp after hit from Wake.
Cameron Wake knocked the quarterback to the ground and, for a brief moment, the Dolphins’ season passed before their eyes.
DAVIE — The Dolphins would prefer to get through training camp without anyone laying a finger on quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but that’s a lot to ask when defensive linemen Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn are bearing down on him every play.
Wake got through and ended up knocking Tannehill to the ground in Wednesday morning’s practice, and there was a tense moment when he was slow to get up. It was almost certainly the hardest hit he’s taken since the one that ended his 2016 season.
“I can’t say for sure, but I think there’s been a couple other times where, whether it was last spring or in training camp a couple times before he got hurt, he kinda got hit a little bit and knocked to the ground,” coach Adam Gase said after practice.
“I wasn’t sure what happened. I just saw a couple bodies there. It turned out he just got some cleats to the shin.”
Pileups are getting more common now that the Dolphins have been practicing in full pads for a few days, but, ideally, there wouldn’t be a No. 17 jersey in the heap.
Gase seemed nonchalant about the incident and laughed off a question about whether Wake apologized.
Tannehill never left the field and did not spend extended time with the training staff. He was walking after practice laughing with team- mates and family.
He originally went down in December 2016 when Calais Campbell, then with Arizona, hit him in the left knee and caused a severe sprain. He rehabbed it and was back for Organized Team Activities last May, but his knee gave out on a non-contact play this time last year and he missed the entire 2017 season.
Tannehill opted for surgery that time and was cleared for OTAs again this year. He has been fine throughout offseason and training camp practices and will face live action when the team opens the preseason Aug. 9 against Tampa Bay.