MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel refused to close the door on four injured players before practice Thursday and the Miami Dolphins’ final injury report ahead of their Wild Card playoff matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs reflected that.
Safeties DeShon Elliott and Jevon Holland were among the four players listed as questionable despite not taking part in the team’s only real practice of the week Thursday after the first two injury reports were based on an estimation.
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Running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who both missed the Week 18 AFC East title showdown against Buffalo, were both listed as questionable after being listed as limited participants all week.
The Dolphins are hoping to welcome both of them back to the lineup after Mostert finished the regular season by scoring an NFL-best 18 rushing touchdowns.
Having Waddle back in the lineup will give quarterback Tua Tagovailoa one of his top weapons as he heads into his first career NFL playoff game.
Aside from making his NFL postseason debut, it will also be the coldest game Tagovailoa has ever played in.
Tagovailoa told reporters on Wednesday that he thinks “a little lower than 20″ degrees will be the coldest weather he’s played in during his career.
The forecast in Kansas City calls for temperatures below that and a wind chill that would make it feel like less than zero.
Tagovailoa joked that he’s not planning on hitting “Uncle” Dan Marino up for any Isotoner gloves and said he believes “the whole thing is a mindset” and that he will see what it feels like on the field before determining what his team might have to do differently.
We may not know whether any of the four will be able to play until Miami’s inactive list is released 90 minutes before kickoff on Saturday.
The other five players who were on the injury report this week didn’t receive a game status designation, meaning they’ll be available. Those five are wide receiver Tyreek Hill (ankle/quad), Cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee), runningback De’Von Achane (toe/ribs), tackle Terron Armstead (knee/ankle/back) and center Liam Eichenberg (calf/ankle).
Achane, Armstead and Eichenberg were both full participants in practice Thursday.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 8 p.m. and can only be streamed on Peacock.
A Miami win will give the team its first postseason victory since 2000.
Read KC-Miami’s injury report for Thursday here: