MIAMI GARDENS ― Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had the biggest play of the win, intercepting a 2-point attempt by the New Orleans Saints and returning it for a 21-17 lead and less than two minutes to play.
But it's a play that almost didn't happen.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he was considering calling timeout due to some ongoing headset issues. But he thought linebacker Tyrel Dodson had gotten the call.
Dodson hadn't.
"I was about to call a timeout, and then at the last second a couple coaches on the headset said, ‘no, he got the call, he got the call,’" McDaniel said after the game. "So then I walked back. I was aware of the issue. I was not aware that T-Dot (Tyrel Dodson) called his own defense."
Dodson did. And whatever it was he called, it worked.
"We were in ― it was a double," Fitzpatrick said. "We had a double on 12 and a double on, I think No. 2 to the field. I was in basically zero coverage, my guy ran the shallow, slipped in, and caught the ball."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTyrel Dodson saves day with call for Miami Dolphins
If rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had completed the pass, a 19-8 fourth-quarter lead would have evaporated into a tie at 19.
It's a completely different narrative and possibly a different outcome.
Fitzpatrick had a big day, also forcing a fumble on sack that Miami recovered.
Nov 30, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) reacts with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) after forcing a fumble against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn ImagesShockingly, it was Minkah's first career sack in 118 NFL games.
"I didn't blitz a lot in Pittsburgh," Fitzpatrick said. "Then I had one, and I got called for unnecessary roughness. So it is what it is."
Minkah Fitzpatrick making key plays for Dolphins defense
Fitzpatrick was criticized at the end of his career in Pittsburgh for not making enough game-changing plays.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis season, Minkah has had a few impact moments, none bigger than the 2-point interception that nearly wasn't.
"That was a great play by Mink," quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. "Does it surprise me? No, I've seen him do that Alabama, and I've seen him do it with us in practice throughout training camp. So to be able to see his hard work show in tough and critical situations in the ballgame, that's who ‘Mink’ is."
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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tyrel Dodson saves day after key play-call nearly muddled by headset
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