Tag: Zach Sieler

Dolphins lineman earns AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors

A couple of timely fourth quarter sacks helped the Dolphins pull off a comeback Sunday.

Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career, the NFL announced Wednesday.

Sieler, 29, recorded two sacks and three quarterback hits in the Dolphins’ 32-26 overtime win against the New York Jets. Both of his timely sacks of Aaron Rodgers came in the fourth quarter and effectively ended a pair of Jets drives.

The first came on a third down deep in Miami territory, forcing New York to punt for the first time Sunday.

His second sack came with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, pinning the Jets into a third-and-21 situation they were unable to convert.

“Man, he played a game. He had a day today,” Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said after the game. “So many close plays early. So many close plays early, but just bringing that energy, bringing that leadership, bringing that passion and then the dam broke in that fourth quarter. He went off and made big plays that essentially called game for us or at least gave us a shot for the offense to call game.”

Sieler is the Dolphins’ first AFC Defensive Player of the Week honoree of the season and the team’s first since Bradley Chubb earned the distinction for recording three sacks against the Jets in a 2023 game

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Zach Sieler says he’ll wear visor rest of his career after eye injury

“I’ll be honest, I don’t want to go through something like that again.”

Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler is expected to make his return to action Monday after missing two games due to a fractured orbital he suffered in practice. When the defensive team captain rejoins the lineup, he’ll don a visor that isn’t planning on ditching anytime soon — or ever.

“I’ll have a visor on, per my wife, the rest of my career,” Sieler told reporters Thursday with a laugh. “She’s right, though. I’ll be honest, I don’t want to go through something like that again.”

Sieler, 29, isn’t exactly sure what happened in practice two weeks that caused his eye injury.

“My head went back and something hit my face or hand, I don’t know what it was,” Sieler said. “I remember just coming on the edge and I don’t know what it was, but something got up in my mask and I just remember my head going back and I just had to put my hand – kind of just dark, no other way to say that.”

The Dolphins defense didn’t play well in Sieler’s absence. First, it allowed the Arizona Cardinals to rack up 389 yards of offense — the most Miami has allowed in a 2024 game — in a 28-27 loss. Then the Dolphins couldn’t get a stop in the second half of a 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Would Sieler have made a difference?

“I’d like to think I bring some energy to [the defense],” Sieler said. “I think those guys did a great job these last couple of weeks. I think they held them under 100 yards rushing both teams and hopefully I can come back in and make that even better.”

In six games this season, Sieler has two sacks, three tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits. He’s one of five players on the Dolphins defense — along with Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Kendall Fuller, and Marcus Maye — with a PFF grade above 70.

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Mike McDaniel ‘optimistic’ about Zach Sieler returning in Week 10

After two games without Zach Sieler, the Dolphins defensive lineman appears set to make his return in Week 10.

The Miami Dolphins have been without defensive lineman and team captain Zach Sieler for the last two weeks due to a fractured orbital suffered in practice. But Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is feeling good about Sieler’s chances at returning in Week 10 with an extra day of rest ahead of a Monday night matchup.

“I’m optimistic about that timeline,” McDaniel told reporters Monday. “You have to take it day by day, anyway, to accumulate information. But that was more safe of a timeline from his injury. So I feel optimistic about that.”

Without Sieler in the lineup, the Dolphins defense has put together two of its worst outings of the 2024 season. The lineman isn’t the only one dealing with an injury on the defensive side of the ball, though. Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips is on injured reserve, and cornerbacks Kader Kohou and Storm Duck have also missed the last two weeks.

Sieler, 29, sat out all of the Dolphins’ practices ahead of their Week 9 game against the Buffalo Bills. While McDaniel ruled Sieler out Friday, two days ahead of the game, he told reporters that the lineman was “pretty close” to being able to play.

“He will wear a visor upon return, but I’m pessimistic for sure about it and have planned accordingly,” McDaniel told reporters Friday. “What you’re worried about is further injuring and hurting – you need to be able to see and you don’t want to do anything to your eyes if you can prevent it.

“If it was just performance-based, I think he would probably be out there regardless, but you have to prevent him from further injury and that’s where the motive is.”

In six games this season, Sieler has recorded two sacks, three tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits.

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Dolphins list 7 as inactive vs. Bills in Week 9

The Dolphins ruled out Jevon Holland, Storm Duck, and five others for Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins will be without starting safety Jevón Holland for the second time this season. After returning from a hand injury to play last week, Holland was listed as doubtful this week due to a knee injury suffered in the Dolphins’ Week 8 loss.

Holland was one of seven players ruled out by the Dolphins on Sunday:

Dolphins inactives

  • CB Kader Kohou
  • S Jevón Holland
  • RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
  • CB Storm Duck
  • OL Andrew Meyer
  • TE Julian Hill
  • DT Zach Sieler

Bills inactives

  • WR Amari Cooper
  • S Mike Edwards
  • LB Nick Morrow
  • FB Reggie Gilliam
  • CB Christian Benford
  • G/C Will Clapp
  • DE Zion Logue

Dolphins wide receiver River Cracraft was also ruled out Saturday, but because he’s still a member of the team’s injured reserve, he didn’t need to be listed as an inactive Sunday. Active for Miami is fullback Alec Ingold, who entered the weekend as questionable.

The significant loss for the Bills is Cooper, who they acquired in a trade in October.

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Zach Sieler ‘desperately wants to play,’ eye didn’t require surgery

Mike McDaniel isn’t ruling out the possibility of a Week 9 return for Zach Sieler.

The fractured orbital suffered by Zach Sieler in practice kept the Miami Dolphins defensive lineman out of action in Week 8. But Mike McDaniel told reporters that Sieler’s injury didn’t require surgery and the head coach didn’t rule out the lineman making his return against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

“I won’t know at all until close to the game,” McDaniel said of Sieler’s availability for Week 9, “He’s doing well. We know him as a player and a person, he desperately wants to play in this game. So he will do everything he can to [play]. If he can’t, it’s because he’s unable to.”

Sieler, 29, is in his sixth season with the Dolphins and earned team captain honors for the first time in his career in September. In six games this season, he has two sacks, three tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery.

Without Sieler in the lineup last week, the Dolphins elevated Neil Farrell against the Arizona Cardinals. Miami had arguably its worst defensive showing, recording zero sacks and zero takeaways in a 28-27 loss.

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Zach Sieler reportedly suffered fractured orbital in practice

The eye injury that will keep Zach Sieler out Sunday may require surgery, according to a report.

The “eye poke” suffered by Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler is reportedly more serious than it initially sounded.

According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, the Dolphins defensive lineman suffered a fractured orbital that could require surgery and may send Sieler to the injured reserve.

“It was a first in my football history,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said of the injury Friday. “He will not play this game. Timeline is unknown, and that’s kind of where it stands. … It’s week to week. I just know he’s not going to be available for this game.”

How it happened hasn’t been revealed and Dolphins offensive linemen were quick to deny responsibility for the injury.

“Incidental, for sure,” Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead said. “Nobody was trying to go for an eye, but you’re playing fast, playing low, big guys moving around, it’s unfortunate, for sure. Zach is one of the best players on the team – one of the best players in the league, so him dealing with that is definitely unfortunate for us.”

The Dolphins don’t have much depth at the position with only four other defensive linemen — Calais Campbell, Da’Shawn Hand, Benito Jones, and Brandon Pili — on the active roster. The team recently lost veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Harris off the practice squad, and now only have linemen Neil Farrell and Matt Dickerson available to be elevated.

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Zach Sieler, Kader Kohou ruled out vs. Cardinals in Week 8

The Dolphins will be without one of their defensive captains Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins will be without defensive lineman Zach Sieler and cornerback Kader Kohou when they play the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8.

Sieler, a team captain who is tied for the team lead in sacks and quarterback hits, was poked in the eye during practice Thursday and is now week to week, according to Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.

Depth along the defensive line is thin with Calais Campbell, Benito Jones, Da’Shawn Hand, and Brandon Pili as the only other four linemen on the roster. Miami doesn’t have much help stashed on the practice squad either after Naquan Jones and Jonathan Harris were signed away by the Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, respectively.

The only lineman still on the team’s practice squad is Neil Farrell, a former Raiders and Chiefs tackle who was signed by Miami in September.

Kohou suffered a neck injury in the Dolphins’ Week 7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Undrafted rookie Storm Duck is also dealing with an injury and may be unavailable as well, although McDaniel said Friday was too early to determine his status.

“We have a bunch of guys I think are capable of [playing nickel in Kohou’s place],” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Thursday. “I think we have a bunch of guys that have the skill set to get the job done. It’s just really a matter of what we’re trying to do at that particular moment and who we’re going to put there.”

Weaver specifically mentioned Jalen Ramsey, Jevón Holland, Siran Neal, and Cam Smith as four players who could play in the slot, if needed.

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Tyreek Hill, Zach Sieler added to Dolphins’ Thursday injury report

The Dolphins added two key players to their injury report Thursday.

Tyreek Hill and Zach Sieler were limited in the Miami Dolphins’ practice Thursday after neither appeared on the team’s injury report Wednesday.

Hill was listed with a foot issue, while Sieler had an eye problem that limited him.

The only other change for the Dolphins from their Wednesday report was Tua Tagovailoa’s participation switched from limited to full. Miami is working the quarterback back into the mix and expects him to start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, but for now, he’s still on the Dolphins’ injured reserve and is working his way through the concussion protocol.

Thursday participation

DNP

  • CB Storm Duck (ankle)
  • QB Tyler Huntley (right shoulder)
  • CB Kader Kohou (neck)

Limited

  • OL Liam Eichenberg (shoulders)
  • WR Tyreek Hill (foot)
  • S Jevón Holland (hand)
  • LB Emmanuel Ogbah (bicep)
  • DT Zach Sieler (eye)
  • WR Jaylen Waddle (quad)

Full

  • QB Tua Tagovailoa (concussion)

Another missed practice for both Duck and Kohou means it’s unlikely that either cornerback will be available Sunday against the Cardinals. According to Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, there are several players, including Jalen Ramsey, Jevón Holland, Siran Neal, and Cam Smith, who could play in the slot if both Duck and Kohou are unavailable.

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Zach Sieler: ‘We can beat any team’ if we do the little things right

Zach Sieler is still feeling confident about the Dolphins’ chances at turning things around.

The Miami Dolphins fell to 2-4 with a 16-10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts that was full of miscues and blown opportunities. That’s why defensive lineman Zach Sieler is still feeling confident that the Dolphins can straighten things out in time to salvage their 2024 season.

“We need to get a stop, reload it, get it right, and stop those little mental errors,” Sieler told reporters Sunday after the loss. “We have a great team. I know we have a great team. We can beat these guys. We can beat any team in the NFL. It’s just a matter of doing the little things right and focusing on those things.”

The mistakes on Sunday including two back-breaking fumbles from Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold that, respectively, gave the Colts prime field position for their only touchdown of the day and killed a red zone opportunity for Miami. The Dolphins also picked up twice as much penalty yardage as the Colts.

Sieler, 29, recovered a fumble in the loss and played a key role in the Dolphins keeping the Indianapolis offense in check. So he’s feeling confident that once the Miami offense gets its issues straightened out, the Dolphins will be right back in the playoff mix.

“There’s no doubt that Tua [Tagovailoa] is our best quarterback and the energy that we’re going to get from him back is going to be incredible,” Sieler said.

“There is enough time to come back. It’s a long season. Everyone is counting things out. It doesn’t matter. We’re 2-4. There is a lot that could happen. There is a lot of ball left to play.”

It’ll be an uphill climb to get back in contention in the AFC East, though. The Buffalo Bills improved to 5-2 on Sunday, giving them a commanding early lead in the division with no other team at three wins yet. But it wouldn’t take many wins for Miami to climb back into the wild card mix.

Up first, is a Week 8 matchup at home against the Arizona Cardinals before a Week 9 divisional game against the Bills.

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Dolphins announce 8 players as 2024 team captains

The Dolphins have four returning captains on offense, but a group of four defensive players who are Miami captains for the first time.

The Miami Dolphins announced Monday that eight players will be team captains in 2024.

Wearing the “C” on their jerseys again will be the same offensive quartet from last year: quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, fullback Alec Ingold, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and offensive lineman Terron Armstead. On defense, it’s a group of newly minted Miami captains: defensive back Jalen Ramsey, linebacker David Long Jr., defensive tackle Zach Sieler, and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who will don the coveted captain badge along with his Walter Payton Man of the Year patch.

Miami parted with a pair of its captains from 2023, allowing Christian Wilkins to leave in free agency, and cutting Xavien Howard in the offseason. Jevon Holland was the third defensive captain last year.

The Dolphins have the oldest roster in the league, so there’s no lack of leadership and experience on the team. Campbell is entering his 17th NFL season, Armstead will begin his 12th, and Hill his ninth. 

Sieler, who is Miami’s longest tenured defensive player on the current 53 man roster, is a captain for the first time. Last season he set the franchise sack record for an interior lineman with 10.

Long will also wear his first captain’s badge in Miami after an outstanding season in 2023 in the middle of the defense’s second level. His run-defense grade last season (92.6) was the best in the NFL among starting linebackers, according to Pro Football Focus. Long signed with Miami last season as a free agent and he’s in a contract year in 2023, so having him as a captain could indicate his tenure in Miami will go beyond this year. 

Ingold doesn’t stuff a stat sheet, but he does the dirty work to help others gain their yards and score touchdowns. The tremendous blocker earned Pro Bowl honors in 2023.

Ramsey, who missed the first seven games of last season with a knee injury, was a two-time captain during his time with the Los Angeles Rams.

The recently extended Tagovailoa has now been a captain in each of Mike McDaniel’s three seasons with the Dolphins after not earning the distinction at all during Brian Flores’ tenure.

The Dolphins open their 2024 season on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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