Kiko Alonso injury update: Linebacker ‘not expected to play’

The Miami Dolphins may have to use their emergency plan of using second-year linebacker Mike Hull as the team’s starting middle linebacker. According to a report from the Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad, a league source has said the Dolphins do not expect starter Kiko Alonso to play on Sunday.

Alonso, who had surgery this week on a broken thumb, has been dealing with an ailing hamstring recently, an injury he aggravated early in the team’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Despite the thumb surgery, Alonso said this week the hamstring was clearly the more bothersome of the two injuries.

Alsono had missed just one snap on the season before missing 26 last week. Now, it appears he will not be on the field for any plays on Sunday. He has 97 tackles on the season, leading the team and 12th in the league. He also has two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, four fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. This is Alonso’s first season with the Dolphins, who acquired him in an offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Hull, an undrafted free agent signed by the Dolphins in 2015 out of Penn State, will be making his first career start. He played in three games as a rookie and has appeared in all 12 games this season, primarily working as a key member of Miami’s special teams unit. He has 20 career tackles.

The Dolphins are ailing at linebacker, where Jelani Jenkins has also been dealing with a broken hand as well as a knee injury. Neither Jenkins nor Alsonso have been able to practice this week due to their injuries.