| | Associated Press
MIAMI -- The Miami Dolphins' quarterback battle ended
suddenly Thursday, and Damon Huard became the winner by default.
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| Huard |
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| Fiedler |
Jay Fiedler, who was competing with Huard for the starting job,
required arthroscopic hip surgery Thursday night for an injury that
has bothered him since training camp began. He's expected to be
sidelined until late in the preseason or early in the regular
season, which starts Sept. 3.
Specialist Dr. Marc Philipon removed foreign matter and dead
tissue from a labral tear in Fiedler's right hip joint at Holy
Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
"Jay's surgery went well," Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said
Friday. "I had a chance to talk with him this morning and he is
resting comfortably without any pain. He is upbeat and
positive, and is looking forward to returning to the field as
soon as possible."
The unexpected development makes Huard the starter as the
Dolphins head into their first season without Dan Marino since 1982.
"This is one less question you won't have to ask me every press
conference," coach Dave Wannstedt quipped to reporters. "This was
a total shock to all of us. But, hey, better now than the second
game of the season."
Huard, who led Miami to a 5-1 record when Marino was sidelined
last season, had a slight edge over Fiedler after three weeks of
training camp. Huard, 27, was already slated to start the first
exhibition game Saturday at Pittsburgh.
"I'm optimistic Damon will go out and throw four touchdown
passes, and we'll all feel real good," Wannstedt said.
Fieldler underwent an MRI late Wednesday, which indicated
surgery was needed to repair a tear in his hip joint. He had been
bothered earlier this summer by a sore back and continued to
practice even after his hip began to hurt a week ago.
"It's unclear to tell whether this injury was related to his
earlier back pain," trainer Kevin O'Neill said.
Fieldler, 28, backed up Mark Brunell last year for the
Jacksonville Jaguars, then signed a three-year, $3.8 million
contract with the Dolphins in February.
"I'm glad that the injury is not a serious one," Fiedler said
in a statement Thursday. "I'm looking forward to a quick recovery and
getting back on the field as soon as medically possible."
Wannstedt said he hopes Fiedler can play in the final preseason
game Aug. 25. But for now the job belongs to Huard, who broke into
the NFL as an undrafted free agent and has been with the Dolphins
since 1997 but never started until last year when Marino was hurt.
Despite Fiedler's injury, Huard said he'll still feel pressure
to play well. "Regardless, there's pressure -- that's the nature of the
business," he said. "It's unfortunate for Jay, and I wish him a quick recovery."
Huard will play the first half Saturday against the Steelers.
The other quarterbacks on the roster are Jim Druckenmiller, who
becomes the backup, and Mike Quinn.
"This is not a panic situation," Wannstedt said. "This is
just a little curve in the road that we have to deal with."
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