MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami running back De'Von Achane, perhaps the team's most important offensive player, limped off the field in the first quarter of the Dolphins' game against Kansas City on Sunday with a knee injury.
And the diagnosis post-game was not good.
Head coach Jeff Hafley told reporters that the team is concerned about the injury.
“To be honest with you, it does not sound optimistic," the coach said after a 24-10 loss dropped the Dolphins to 0-3.
Ollie Gordon replaced Achane and had a career-high 14 carries by the midpoint of the third quarter, before he also had to leave the game because of what the Dolphins said was a cramping issue. Gordon was the only other running back the Dolphins had on their active roster Sunday.
Wide receiver Malik Washington had a carry in the fourth quarter before Gordon returned to the game.
Achane — who agreed to a four-year, $64 million extension earlier this year with $32 million guaranteed — is generally considered to be a huge part of the Dolphins' plans in their current rebuilding phase. He's seventh on the team's all-time rushing list despite playing only 47 games and led the NFL with an average of 5.7 yards per carry last season.
Achane was either the ball carrier or intended receiver on four of Miami's first five plays Sunday before getting hurt. He suffered the injury on what was an 11-yard run to the left side.
Achane got up quickly after the tackle on the play where he got injured, then simply stood still while flanked by a couple of teammates. He eventually walked to the Miami sideline under his own power, albeit slowly and appearing to favour his left leg before going into the team's injury tent.
He went to the locker room a few minutes later. The Dolphins announced that he wouldn't return during the third quarter, and Achane was back on the sideline at that point.
Achane entered Sunday with 31 carries for 110 yards this season; the rest of the Dolphins, combined, had 16 carries for 66 yards.
Achane rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards on 238 carries in 2025. He had eight rushing touchdowns and four receiving scores a year ago and ranked fourth among running backs with 488 yards receiving.
