The previous time that Grant DuBose was seen in an NFL uniform, the wide receiver was being transported to a hospital from the field in Houston on Dec. 15.
DuBose returned to the NFL on Tuesday, when the Buffalo Bills announced he had signed with the team.
Playing for the Miami Dolphins, DuBose was trying to catch a pass across the middle when he was hit by Houston Texans safety Caden Bullock, who was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play. DuBose lay motionless on the turf at NRG Stadium as medical personnel worked on him for more than 10 minutes after he went down.
DuBose finally was slipped onto a backboard and wheeled off the field to be taken to Hermann Memorial-Texas Medical Center.
The Dolphins placed DuBose on injured reserve on Dec. 17, and he missed the remainder of the season.
When he signed with Buffalo, DuBose had been an unrestricted free agent since March 12. The Bills have one preseason game remaining on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
DuBose made his NFL debut last season. In three games with the Dolphins, he had two receptions for 11 yards while playing 50 offensive snaps.
After playing high school football at Park Crossing in Montgomery, DuBose played for Miles’ SIAC championship and NCAA Division II playoff team in 2019. But when the Golden Bears canceled their 2020 schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic, DuBose was left bagging groceries, delivering food orders and working at Walmart and Hyundai Glovis.
When DuBose returned to college football with Charlotte, he caught 126 passes for 1,684 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons with the 49ers.
Green Bay chose DuBose in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he spent that season on the Packers’ practice squad.
When Green Bay waived DuBose at the end of the 2024 preseason, the Dolphins claimed him.
DuBose sustained a shoulder injury in the second game of the 2024 season and spent the next 11 games on injured reserve. He had just returned from IR when he sustained his season-ending injury.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OURNFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at@AMarkG1.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.