Let’s just say it hasn’t been Laremy Tunsil’s best year. After being personally and professionally embarrassed at the 2016 NFL Draft as revelations surfaced of drug use and receipt of illegal benefits while at Ole Miss, Tunsil was likely hoping the worst was over for him.
Now, though, he’s joined a list you don’t want to be on: weird sports injuries.
His name was conspicuously absent from the active players for the game, a strange move considering his status as an important part of the Miami Dolphins offensive line. The reason? Not a pre-game warmup injury, but rather an apparent fall in the shower prior to the game.
ESPN was the first to report on the incident, which caused so much swelling in one of his ankles that he had to be declared inactive for the game. Tunsil has demonstrated a lack of interest in ankle support before, as evidenced by his draft night footwear:
Tunsil has been a vital key to an offensive line that has been in flux to start the season for the Dolphins. He started the first four games of the season, three at left guard and then slid out to left tackle last week.
All of that happened without star center Mike Pouncey, who made his return to the Dolphins just as Tunsil was slipping in the shower.
Tunsil’s absence also meant that the Dolphins had to dig deep on its offensive line depth chart, as left tackle Branden Albert was also missing. Miami decided to go with Billy Turner at left tackle and Dallas Thomas at left guard.
All of those things factored in as Jay Ajayi (filling in for the injured Arian Foster) rushing for just 42 yards on 13 carries.
Perhaps we’ll also see the folks at Hard Rock Stadium actually put some protective mats down around the showers in the locker rooms? Just saying.
