The Miami Dolphins canceled their joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday because some players and staff on the team are dealing with a stomach bug, officials said.
The Eagles will practice by themselves at the Dolphins facility, the team announced.
No Eagles players or staff are experiencing related symptoms.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel did not specify how many players are affected, but he said it’s more than a couple but not half the team.
He said practice was canceled to prevent any spread ahead of Saturday’s preseason game with the Eagles.
“It all comes down to wanting to be able to fully play the preseason game as planned,” McDaniel added. “The best way to do that with the unknowns were to just keep everyone away from each other, because clearly it’s [contagious].”
He continued, “I didn’t want to have half the team drained out from a stomach bug, fight through the heat and then have depleted performance in the preseason game, because for a lot of guys, it’s the most important game of their career.”
The Eagles are now practicing by themselves. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said there would be a lot of work with the starters.
“After discussing with our trainers and our doctors, we’re good to go and good to practice,” said Sirianni. “I hope everybody with the dolphins is OK. We don’t have any symptoms on our side, and so that’s why we’re out here practicing today.”
The Eagles and Dolphins held a joint practice on Wednesday, where Miami reportedly got the best of Philadelphia in that one. However, Sirianni had very high praise for how quarterback Jalen Hurts performed.
The Eagles and Dolphins are scheduled to play their preseason finale Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.