Dolphins dealing with another QB injury after Skylar Thompson leaves in the 2nd half vs. Seahawks

SEATTLE (AP) — The Miami Dolphins are again facing uncertainty at quarterback.

One week after starter Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion, backup Skylar Thompson left the game midway through the third quarter of Sunday's 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Thompson had what coach Mike McDaniel called a painful rib injury, leaving the Dolphins with more questions at the most important position on the field after just three weeks of the season.

Thompson's final play was a 5-yard pass to De’Von Achane with 9:46 left in the third, but he took a hard shot on the previous drive when Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson hit him for a sack, one of five he took on the day.

Thompson finished 13 of 19 for 107 yards, and was replaced by Tim Boyle at quarterback.

“Half the pain or half of the frustration for him, I think was, he was really trying to find a way to not come out of the game,” McDaniel said. "And ultimately, it was pretty painful. He fought through it, but we’ll get a chance to look at him tomorrow.”

Thompson was slow to get up following the hit from Dodson and was slightly hunched over at the midsection as he ran off the field. He returned for the next series, but stayed down for several minutes after completing the pass to Achane. Thompson remained on his back for a few minutes before sitting up and walking directly to the locker room.

The injury to Thompson came a little over a week after Tagovailoa suffered his third concussion in the past two years in a loss to Buffalo. Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve earlier this week, meaning he's not an option for the Dolphins for at least four games.

McDaniel didn't reveal what the Dolphins' plan is for the upcoming week if Thompson is unable to go for Miami's home matchup against Tennessee next Monday night. Miami did sign Tyler Huntley off the Ravens' practice squad earlier this week and he served as the third quarterback Sunday.

McDaniel sounded optimistic that the rest of the highly regarded offense would be able to bounce back, even with the team going through a roller-coaster couple of weeks under center.

“I think consistency has to be found from the nucleus in the group,” McDaniel said. “The guys that truly know the offense have to really be on it and we have to just keep chopping wood and get better fast. ... Those things happen, and you know, every single season, there’s teams that find a way to win football games when their starter, or even their backup, is out.”

It was the third significant injury for the Dolphins in the game after left tackle Terron Armstead (eye) and cornerback Kendall Fuller (concussion) were injured in the first half.

Fuller was hurt during the first quarter, was evaluated then ruled out early in the second half. Armstead’s injury was announced late in the second quarter and Kendall Lamm stepped in as his replacement.

Seattle lost significant depth on its defensive line with injuries to Byron Murphy II and Leonard Williams in the first half. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald didn't have updates on either injury.

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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel reacts as Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson is evaluated on the field after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (55) tackles Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) after a throw during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. Thompson was taken out of the game after the play after an apparent injury. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) is evaluated on the field after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) leaves the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson lies on the field after a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, center, looks on from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson warms up before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)