MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Bayron Matos remained under observation at the Ryder Trauma Care Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Thursday, one day after he was transported there by helicopter from training camp with an undisclosed injury.
The Dolphins said in a statement that Matos “has movement in all extremities and is in stable condition,” but they did not provide any other details of his injury. The team also did not say how long Matos would be under the care of doctors.
“It’s a really heartbreaking part of the game,” fellow Dolphins offensive lineman Austin Jackson said of the injury, which occurred in the final minutes of Day 1 of training camp. “Very tough.”
The 24-year-old Matos was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and played his college football at New Mexico and South Florida. He was undrafted in 2024 and signed with the Dolphins as a free agent through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, an initiative that gives athletes from countries outside the U.S. a chance to play in the league.
Matos, who signed a reserve/future contract in January, had spent time with Miami’s practice squad over the past year.
Matos only started playing football a few years ago. He grew up playing baseball and basketball, and after moving to Tennessee for high school, popped up on the radar of hoops coaches. Matos wound up redshirting and playing one season for New Mexico before transferring to South Florida, where he continued playing basketball and walked onto the football team.
The 6-foot-7, 334-pound Matos started off as a defensive lineman and special teams player before switching to offensive line.
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