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 Tuesday, August 8
Fiedler recovering quickly from hip surgery
 
 Associated Press

DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler is recovering rapidly from arthroscopic hip surgery and hopes to play in the team's final exhibition game Aug. 25 against New Orleans.

Fiedler underwent surgery Thursday and was walking the next day. He's also riding a bicycle and swimming to regain a full range of motion in his right hip, and for the first time in weeks he's pain-free.

"Right now we're shooting for that last preseason game," he said Monday. "That's our goal, and it looks like we're on schedule."

Diagnosis last week of the injury, which had bothered Fiedler since last spring, temporarily ended the battle to succeed Dan Marino at quarterback. Damon Huard is expected to start the first game Sept. 3 against Seattle.

But Fiedler, who signed with Miami as a free agent in March, still expects to play this year.

"It's a long season," he said. "No matter who was going to get the starting job from the beginning, there are very few quarterbacks who last 16 games. The backup is going to be needed at some point."

The operation repaired a tear in Fiedler's hip joint. His surgeon, Dr. Mark Philipon, performed a similar procedure five weeks ago on golfer Greg Norman, who recovered quickly and finished fourth Sunday in The International tournament in Colorado.

"Seeing that keeps me very hopeful," Fiedler said.

It's unclear how much the injury hampered Fiedler, who had been unable to overtake Huard in the quarterback derby. Fiedler said the hip bothered him most when he turned to throw sideline passes.

He will miss at least three exhibition games.

"It sets me back a little bit, but I've been here since March and working with the guys for a while," he said. "Physically I'll just have to catch up on the work I miss."