Injury Puts Huard at Helm of Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins’ quarterback battle ended suddenly Thursday, and Damon Huard became the winner by default.

Jay Fiedler, who was competing with Huard for the starting job, required arthroscopic hip surgery Thursday night for an injury that has bothered him since training camp began. He’s expected to be sidelined until late in the preseason or early in the regular season, which starts Sept. 3.

The unexpected development makes Huard the starter as the Dolphins head into their first season without Dan Marino since 1982.

“This is one less question you’ll have to ask me every press conference,” Coach Dave Wannstedt quipped to reporters.

Huard, who led Miami to a 5-1 record when Marino was sidelined last season, had a slight edge over Fiedler after three weeks of training camp. Huard, 27, was already slated to start the first exhibition game Saturday at Pittsburgh.

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Oakland Raider running back Randy Jordan was rushed to a hospital after an on-field collision during practice left him motionless.

According to Raider spokesman Mike Taylor, Jordan was conscious and undergoing tests at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, Calif.

“The X-rays were negative and he has feeling in his arms and his legs,” Taylor said. “He is going to have an MRI later tonight.”

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Veteran quarterback Billy Joe Hobert signed with the Indianapolis Colts and will contend for the backup role to starter Peyton Manning.

The Colts released quarterback Pete Gonzalez to make room for him.

A third-round draft pick of the Raiders in 1993, Hobert spent four years there until signing with Buffalo in 1997 when he was released after acknowledging he had not studied a game plan.

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Denver linebacker John Mobley is scheduled to have surgery today to remove cartilage from his right knee and is expected to be sidelined for about two weeks. . . . Defensive tackle Mark Smith ended his holdout and reported to the Arizona Cardinal training camp. . . . The Cincinnati Bengals notified unsigned running back Corey Dillon that he will be ineligible to play in the first regular-season game unless he signs and reports in time for the team’s Aug. 11 exhibition at Atlanta. . . . The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed free-agent receiver Andre Hastings to a one-year contract, the team said.