Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill avoids full tear but has sprained knee

An MRI on Monday revealed that Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill merely sprained the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee and will not need surgery, head coach Adam Gase said.

That is good news for a team that feared the worst – a full ACL tear, which would have required surgery and ended his season – after Tannehill was injured late in the third quarter of Sunday’s win against the Arizona Cardinals.

“It’s better than we thought,” Gase said.

Gase said he didn’t have a definitive timetable for Tannehill’s return, but confirmed that the starter will miss Saturday’s game against the New York Jets. Veteran backup Matt Moore will start in his place.

Can Dolphins make the playoffs without Ryan Tannehill?

For the short-term, the Dolphins will have to rely on Moore to try to lead a playoff push. At 8-5, the Jets are in a tight race with the Denver Broncos and the second team in the AFC North, either the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens, for a wild-card spot.

The Dolphins have three AFC East games remaining: at the Jets and Buffalo Bills, and then a home finale against the New England Patriots. It’s unclear if Tannehill will be able to play in the final two games, or in the playoffs should the Dolphins make it to that point.

But Monday’s injury news is positive for Tannehill and the Dolphins heading into next season. A torn ACL would have required surgery and a rehab process that would have kept Tannehill out of all of the offseason program and potentially into training camp as well.

That, ultimately, is the biggest relief for Gase and the Dolphins.

“That’s a tough injury,” Gase said. “You see a lot of guys go through the ACL. They come back fast, but they always say, you’re not the same. You’ve got another year. It’s a lot of work.”

Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones.

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