DAVIE, Fla. -- Chances don't appear great that Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill could return from a sprained ACL and MCL in his left knee for this weekend's playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But as of Monday, coach Adam Gase isn't ruling out the possibility.
"I don't want to say yes or no," Gase said during his news conference. "The guy, as you guys all know, is a freak of nature. ... His body is unique, and the way he heals is the same way. We'll kind of take it one step at a time."
Gase said he plans to get a firm update on Tannehill's knee from the team's medical staff late Monday or early Tuesday. An important part of the decision will come down to whether Tannehill is healthy enough to practice, which he hasn't done since missing the past three games.
Tannehill has spent all his time since the injury rehabbing and strengthening his knee. From the sideline, he also helped players during practice and games.
"I need to know what his movement skills are, where we are as far as the structure of his knee and things like that," Gase said. "Once I get that update, I will have a better idea of what we're going to do moving forward."
Backup quarterback Matt Moore has been solid in place of Tannehill. Moore is 2-1 as a starter and has thrown for 721 yards with eight touchdowns, three interceptions and a 105.6 quarterback rating.
The tricky part is weighing the short- and long-term risks of playing Tannehill as the quarterback's knee gets healthier each week. According to Gase, the decision is not expected to be made at game time. Moore and Tannehill have different skills and styles of play, which will affect Miami's offensive game plan in Sunday's high-stakes playoff game against the Steelers.
"It'd be an option, but I'd doubt it," Gase said. "You need to know where he's at. I'm going to have to feel really good about this."