Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler is expected to make his return to action Monday after missing two games due to a fractured orbital he suffered in practice. When the defensive team captain rejoins the lineup, he’ll don a visor that isn’t planning on ditching anytime soon — or ever.
“I’ll have a visor on, per my wife, the rest of my career,” Sieler told reporters Thursday with a laugh. “She’s right, though. I’ll be honest, I don’t want to go through something like that again.”
Sieler, 29, isn’t exactly sure what happened in practice two weeks that caused his eye injury.
“My head went back and something hit my face or hand, I don’t know what it was,” Sieler said. “I remember just coming on the edge and I don’t know what it was, but something got up in my mask and I just remember my head going back and I just had to put my hand – kind of just dark, no other way to say that.”
The Dolphins defense didn’t play well in Sieler’s absence. First, it allowed the Arizona Cardinals to rack up 389 yards of offense — the most Miami has allowed in a 2024 game — in a 28-27 loss. Then the Dolphins couldn’t get a stop in the second half of a 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Would Sieler have made a difference?
“I’d like to think I bring some energy to [the defense],” Sieler said. “I think those guys did a great job these last couple of weeks. I think they held them under 100 yards rushing both teams and hopefully I can come back in and make that even better.”
In six games this season, Sieler has two sacks, three tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits. He’s one of five players on the Dolphins defense — along with Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Kendall Fuller, and Marcus Maye — with a PFF grade above 70.
