MIAMI -- Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead's return to action had an unexpected detour.
The Pro Bowler injured his left leg Aug. 17 and was set to return to practice Wednesday when his car broke down on his way to the team's training facility.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa saw his starting left tackle on the side of the road, but by the time he realized who it was, it was too late.
"I think I'm a bad teammate because I passed him and I didn't come back," Tagovailoa laughed. "I wasn't going to pull off to the shoulder and just reverse, you know what I mean? Like, 'Yo, Terron! I'm coming to get you.' But yeah, I saw him, but it was one of those things where I saw him, but I wasn't sure if it was him.
"I didn't know what he drove too, so it was one of those things where I was just like, 'Hey, [Dolphins director of team security] Drew [Brooks], I think that was Terron on the side.' He was like, 'Yeah, that was him.' I was like, 'Well, I'm here already. I can't go back.'"
Sorry, @T_Armstead72 😂🚙 pic.twitter.com/mPobDUrzPa
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 14, 2023
All jokes aside, Tagovailoa was grateful to see Armstead return while also complimenting the job Miami's offensive line did in Week 1 -- the Dolphins didn't allow a sack in Sunday's 36-34 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
"It's good to have him back, his leadership, just his presence in the huddle, guys love him," Tagovailoa said. "But that doesn't take away from the work that Kendall Lamm has put in as well as Austin Jackson and basically all those guys, Connor Williams, Rob Hunt and then we've got Isaiah Wynn.
"Those guys have done a tremendous job against [Joey] Bosa and Khalil Mack. So props to them, and I hope that's something that we can continue offensively."