Alexander Mattison Injury Update
Alexander Mattison is officially out for the 2025 NFL season—neck surgery will keep him off the field, and honestly, “gut punch” doesn’t quite cover it. This was supposed to be a year for the Miami Dolphins’ running game to get beefier, more reliable, with Mattison brought in to hammer out those ugly third-and-ones. As reported by MiloX Sports NFL on Twitter, Alexander Mattison was forced to exit Sunday’s preseason matchup against the Bears after sustaining a head injury, with further updates on his status expected soon.
Instead, by the end of a preseason game against the Bears, the Dolphins’ new bruiser was whisked to a Chicago hospital for a neck injury, and that was that. Kind of unreal: one week, people are debating his fantasy draft value; the next, the backfield plans are in full scramble mode, and all we have left are what-ifs and rehab updates.
I’ve seen teams try to tough it out when a new signing like Mattison goes down, there’s always that “next man up” speech, but you can’t always just slot in another power back and pretend nothing’s changed. Now, with the whispers about Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon stepping in, let’s just say it’s a mix of optimism, skepticism, and a little dread.
How Did the Injury Happen?
Mattison’s injury went from “He’s just winded” to “wait, he needs emergency neck surgery?!” in record time. Fourth quarter, preseason, Dolphins vs. Bears: Mattison hauls in a 21-yard catch, gets brought down awkwardly, and lands right on his head. In coverage from Alain Poupart on Twitter, Alexander Mattison was seen making his way slowly off the field after a hard tackle by rookie Tysheem Johnson drove him head-first into the ground, heading directly to the locker room afterward.
I’ll admit, watching live, it looked like run-of-the-mill preseason grit. He stood up, walked off, just some neck and shoulder soreness, or so it seemed. The Dolphins’ coach, Mike McDaniel, told the press afterwards that Mattison felt a little banged up, probably nothing major. We’ve all seen players walk off looking okay, only to get the worst possible news in the hours that follow.
Turns out, by the time most of us had processed the end of the game, Mattison was already in surgery. Dolphins fans barely got to watch him in aqua and orange before everything changed.
When Will Alexander Mattison Return?
Probably not in 2025. Honestly, probably not until well after every head coach is worrying about next year’s draft. The surgery was immediate and serious, no “questionable for next week,” no “returning after rehab.” He’s unequivocally out for the season, and, from every credible update out there, there’s no “miracle timetable” on the horizon.
Sometimes injuries come with hopeful caveats or a sprinkle of “day to day”; this one? Not so much. The Dolphins placed Mattison on injured reserve, and you might as well staple that label on for the full calendar year. If you’re holding out for some late-season playoff heroics, well, maybe pick a different storyline.
If you’re a teammate, it’s tough to see a guy signed just in March, expecting to be part of something big, lose a whole season to bad luck. If you’re a fan, you crunch the numbers, look at the newcomers, and hope for a silver lining, knowing that football doesn’t always cooperate with plans. One thing’s for sure: everyone’s wishing Mattison a speedy, full recovery, even as the Dolphins juggle their depth chart and hope their luck improves.
