Chiefs vs Dolphins turned into a bad afternoon for Miami well before the final whistle. Kansas City won 24-10 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, September 27, with Patrick Mahomes missing only four of his 24 passes. The bigger story came on the first drive. De’Von Achane, Miami’s top playmaker, hurt his left knee on an 11-yard run and never returned.
On Monday the news was as bad as feared. Achane tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the 2026 season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported, saying the Dolphins had confirmed it. ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported the MRI result. The Chiefs move to 3-0. The Dolphins are 0-3.
De’Von Achane injury: what happened
Achane planted his left leg to cut on his third carry and the leg gave way, CBS Sports reported. He walked off under his own power and later returned to the sideline in uniform, but his day ended with three carries for 17 yards. Head coach Jeff Hafley didn’t hide his concern after the game. “To be very honest with you, it does not sound very optimistic at this moment,” he said.
The timing makes it worse for Miami. Backup Jaylen Wright was inactive with a stinger, so second year back Ollie Gordon II carried the load. He ran 17 times for 41 yards and a touchdown, and even he had to step out briefly with cramps in the third quarter, according to ESPN.
What a torn ACL means
The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the main ligaments holding the knee together, linking the thigh bone to the shin bone. A full tear in an NFL player almost always means reconstruction surgery, and the usual return timeline is somewhere between nine months and a year. For a running back whose game is built on sharp cuts, that rehab is especially demanding.
How Kansas City won Chiefs vs Dolphins
Kenneth Walker III opened the scoring with a 10-yard run at 12:54 of the first quarter. Gordon answered from three yards, and it stayed 7-7 until Mahomes found Walker for a 5-yard touchdown early in the second. Miami rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez then made a diving interception of Mahomes just before half time, and Riley Patterson’s 37-yard field goal cut the gap to 14-10 in the third quarter.
That was as close as the Dolphins got. Kansas City stopped them on fourth down at the Miami 48 and later intercepted Malik Willis, per ESPN. Harrison Butker kicked a 34-yard field goal with 11:35 left, and Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for an 11-yard touchdown with 2:55 to go to seal it, according to the CBS Sports scoring summary.
Mahomes enjoyed the trip. Hard Rock Stadium hosted Super Bowl LIV in February 2020, where he won his first ring. “It was cool to be back,” he told reporters, per ESPN. Andy Reid kept it simple: “We’ve got plenty of things to work on, but it’s great to be 3-0.”
Chiefs vs Dolphins: key numbers
| Stat | Chiefs | Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 24 | 10 |
| Record after Week 3 | 3-0 | 0-3 |
| Total yards | 334 | 329 |
| Quarterback | Mahomes 20 of 24, 246 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT | Willis 20 of 36, 210 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT |
| Leading rusher | Kenneth Walker III 18 for 70, 1 TD | Ollie Gordon II 17 for 41, 1 TD |
| Leading receiver | Rashee Rice 7 for 88 | Chris Bell 4 for 67 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 (1 INT, 1 lost fumble) |
The yardage was almost level. The difference was turnovers and finishing drives. Willis also ran for 56 yards, but Miami managed only one touchdown.
What’s next
The Chiefs visit the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:25pm ET on Sunday, October 4, in a meeting of two 3-0 AFC West sides. Las Vegas stayed unbeaten with a 35-27 win in New Orleans. Miami face a trip to Minnesota at 4:05pm ET the same day, against a Vikings team that is also 3-0 but sweating on Justin Jefferson’s ankle after their 23-16 win at Tampa Bay.
