UPDATE: Dolphins receiver Daewood Davis Released From Hospital
There are moments that leave lasting memories and the Miami Dolphins players and coaches experienced one of those during Saturday night’s preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars when one of their teammates laid motionless on TIAA Bank Field.
But there was good news Sunday morning, with the Dolphins releasing a statement saying rookie wide receiver Daewood Davis had been released from the Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville and would be traveling home with team personnel.
The Dolphins preseason finale game was suspended with 8:32 remaining after Davis was carted off the field roughly 10 minutes after he laid motionless on the grass with what appeared to be a head or neck injury. He was injured after being the intended targeted of a pass from rookie James Blackman when he was hit by linebacker Dequan Jackson, who was flagged for unnecessary roughness after the collision with Davis at midfield.
Davis, an undrafted rookie from Western Kentucky who had established a reputation for being a speedster, was placed on a backboard and carted away before the game was declared a 31-18 Dolphins loss.
"He's in good spirits. I've seen that. He was shaking his head," Dolphins All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill said, referring to his observation of Davis when he and his teammates came onto the field to monitor the situation, and pray for Davis’ health and well-being. "The trainer was talking to him as he was driving off and he was shaking his head."
TOUGH SIGHT FOR PLAYERS, EASY DECISION ON GAME
Players came off both sidelines to check on Davis, who was a long shot to make the Dolphins roster, and the game was halted once the player reps of both teams confirmed to the league official that the players had no desire to continue playing the exhibition game.
"It's hard. We sweat and bleed with him every day. That guy is our brother," River Cracraft said on CBS Miami's postgame telecast. "We'll just continue to pray for him."
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he could tell from the looks in the eyes of the players that neither team wanted to finish the exhibition.
"I don't think he woke up this morning understanding there are repercussions to playing this sport," quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. "We're all human too. We go out there for the entertainment of people watching and sometimes this unfortunately happens.”
Tagovailoa is referring to players being serious hurt, like the knee injury Dolphins safety Elijah Campbell seemingly suffered earlier in the game working on a special teams coverage unit. Or when Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest in January on the field during Monday Night Football, leading to a nine-day hospital stay in Cincinnati.
Upon returning to football this summer, Hamlin revealed in April that a blow to the chest caused his heart to stop, a condition known as commotio cordis.
He spent the days that followed in critical condition in the intensive care unit at the hospital.
Davis’ injury wasn’t as serious. He was taken to Jacksonville’s Baptist Medical Center for further evaluation.
He was conscious and had movement in his extremities, according to the Dolphins. But he was expected to spend the night in Jacksonville before returning to South Florida.
"I just wanted to make sure guys knew there was no right way to feel," McDaniel said when asked what his postgame speech to the team focused on. "Tell your loved ones you love them, and not take your teammates and relationships for granted."
