Connor Williams hurt his ACL, which ended his season.
Connor Williams, the starting center for the Miami Dolphins, hurt his knee and will miss the rest of the season. This could affect his ability to sign with another team when the season ends.
Williams, who joined the Dolphins as a free agent in 2022 and has started all 26 games at center, had his left knee rolled up under by an Tennessee Titans defender in Monday night’s 28–27 loss to the Titans.
Head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed that Williams tore the anterior cruciate ligament within his left knee.
Now, Williams, who has been one of Miami’s best offensive line players for the past two seasons, has to go through a 9- to 12-month recovery process. This could mean that he won’t be able to play football again until mid-October.
Williams, who was playing like one of the best centers in the NFL this season, “you don’t directly substitute [him] necessarily,” McDaniel said. “He was playing really good ball.”
For the last four games of the regular season, Miami will probably have to play with Liam Eichenberg as their starting center. You can’t exactly replace his journey, switching positions, and finding his feet.
The Dolphins have had Eichenberg start three games at center and fill in for even more snaps.
The third-year veteran began Monday night’s game in right guard as Robert Hunt’s replacement. However, Robert Jones took over that spot when Eichenberg went inside.
If Eichenberg does move permanently to center, Jones would likely take over as starting center until Hunt, who hurt his leg last week and is now recovering, is ready to play again.
McDaniel didn’t think Hunt would be able to practice this week because he re-aggravated his leg injury two weeks ago.
However, he was hopeful that starting left tackle Terron Armstead would be able to play this week in the game toward the New York Jets.
Monday night’s 28–27 loss to the Tennessee Titans was more than just a game for the Miami Dolphins.
The offense will now be without leading center Connor Williams over the rest of the 2023 season.
Florida’s game against Tennessee was very rough, and a lot of Dolphins players got hurt in the first quarter.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said on “Monday Night Football” on Tuesday that Williams tore his Achilles tendon in the first quarter.
In the first quarter, cornerback Xavien Howard, quarterback Raheem Mostert, wide receivers Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and Williams all left the game because they were hurt. But Williams was the only player who didn’t come back.
Williams was replaced in the team by Liam Eichenberg. Four players for the Dolphins were already out on Monday night. Left tackle Terron Armstead and offensive center Robert Hunt were both hurt.
Going forward, this offensive line is something worth keeping an eye on as the Dolphins try to win the AFC East and stay in the running for the top place in the conference.
Williams was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was from the University in Texas. The attacking guard signed a two-year, $14 million deal with Miami after four years in the NFC East.
Their record after the loss to Tennessee is now 9-4. With three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Miami was ahead by 14 points, but Titans rookie quarterback William Levis led a historic comeback that gave Tennessee its first road win of the season.
Teams are now 4–2–074 over the last 20 seasons when they are down 14 points or more in the last three minutes.
This win by the Titans changes that. This was the biggest upset since the Jaguars in Jacksonville beat the Indianapolis Colts with the last game of the 2021 season. The Titans were 14-point underdogs.