Kiko Alonso injury: Surgery on broken thumb, ‘chance’ still plays Sunday

Miami Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso missed snaps on Sunday, something that simply has not happened this year. Seeing Alonso not playing, with the team using a linebacker lineup of Mike Hull, Donald Butler, and Spencer Paysinger, there had to be a serious reason for his absence. On Monday, head coach Adam Gase explained why Alonso was out of the game.

According to Gase, Alonso broke his thumb during the game. He had surgery on the thumb Monday, and Gase said there is “a chance” the starting middle linebacker can play against the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday.

Alonso currently leads the team, and is 12th in the league, with 97 tackles. He also has two interceptions with a touchdown and has four passes defensed, one forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries. He has been a solid middle linebacker for Miami since the team acquired him, along with cornerback Byron Maxwell, in a trade this offseason.

The Dolphins will remain hopeful during the week that Alonso will be able to return to the middle of a defense that was torched repeatedly by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, with a lot of the exposure coming in the middle of the field taking advantage of holes between the linebackers and the safeties.