Miami Dolphins’ offensive tackle Bayron Matos was airlifted to a local hospital Wednesday afternoon following an injury suffered at the end of the team’s very first training camp practice.
His agent, Perlesta Hollingsworth, told The Miami Herald that Matos “has an above the shoulder type injury” but did not specify whether or not it was in the head or a neck/spine type of injury.
More bad news as Hollingsworth told reporters that Matos “some movement but not full movement in his right leg. It comes and goes.”
According to his agent, the injury occurred in an inadvertent collision with a teammate, he said Matos “ran into a defensive lineman when his head was lowered and took the brunt of the impact.”
The team was gathered around Matos for ten minutes as the team’s medical staff examined his injuries and practice ended promptly after he was removed, Barry Jackson reports.
Jackson also says that the six-foot-seven tackle has not yet been released from the hospital and it is unclear exactly when he could be.
The team released an official statement that read: “Bayron Matos sustained an injury at the end of Wednesday’s practice and was transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he remained overnight for evaluation and testing. He has movement in all extremities and is in stable condition. He will remain in the care of doctors for continued observation.”
Head Coach Mike McDaniel Provides Promising Update
It is hard for a team to face such a shaky moment so early on in the season, but head coach Mike McDaniel was able to provide a promising update on the 24-year-old.
“That’s a tough moment for any team,” McDaniel said yesterday. “We were really pumped to hear he has feeling and movement in all extremities. He’s doing better and better and that’s what we’re focused on.”
This is not the only injury to rock the Phins early on in this preseason. Veteran cornerback Artie Burns, who was slated to be a depth piece in an already light cornerback room, is expected to miss the entire season with an ACL injury suffered this week.
Bayron Matos Interesting Origin Story
The odds were stacked heavily against Bayron Matos. As a Dominican Republic native, Matos was involved in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. He had played just one season of collegiate football before being signed to a three-year, $2,852,500 contract with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent.
“Matos played three seasons of Division I basketball between New Mexico and South Florida,” wrote Jayna Bardahl for the Athletic. “At USF, Matos walked on to the football team with no prior experience. He initially worked at defensive end before moving to the offensive line. He saw action in just two games, primarily on special teams.”
Matos impressed scouts when the six-foot-seven, 340-pounder ran a 4.88 second forty yard dash at his team’s pro day.
He played in preseason games last year but was ultimately relegated to the practice squad last season. His own expectations coming into the 2025 season were high, as he told Barry Jackson last year that, “I want to be one of the best tackles to play in the NFL”.
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