Last year none of the Miami Dolphins starters participated in the first preseason game.

This year Miami’s first-team offense and defense played the first drive of the preseason opener with few exceptions.

Pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, who is 10 months into rehabilitating a right knee injury he sustained last season, was the lone healthy starting defender who was shelved for the first preseason game.

Offensively Tyreek Hill, who is nursing an oblique injury, and Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins’ top two receivers, were held out of Sunday’s work against the Chicago Bears, which bullied Miami during Friday’s joint practice.

Miami’s defense produced a three-and-out against the Bears second-team offense (the starters were shelved), which was fueled by the negative play Willie Gay Jr. and Benito Jones’ shared on a sack.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s unit converted a fourth-and-3 from the 49-yard line when he found Malik Washington on a short pass in the flat, and produced a 16 play drive that got Miami to the 1-yard line.

Unfortunately, the Dolphins couldn’t punch it into the end zone despite having Jaylen Wright run the ball four straight times from the 8-yard line, which resulted in 5 yards.

Wright would later respond to his goal line failure by scoring a 7-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, putting Miami ahead 14-7.

His rushing touchdown followed Andrew Mattison’s 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarterback.

Both those players are competing to become Miami’s short-yardage back.

Miami’s starting tailback De’Von Achane gained 22 rushing yards on three carries before being pulled after the first drive.

____

©2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.