The Miami Dolphins are facing significant challenges as they head into the 2025 season, having missed the playoffs for the first time in three years. Their season started with a disappointing 33-8 defeat against the Colts, leading to a troubling 1-6 record. Tyreek Hill suffered a knee dislocation, and Tua Tagovailoa controversially called out teammates for not attending a meeting. Though the team managed to win five out of the next six games, their playoff aspirations were ultimately crushed by a loss to the Steelers just before Christmas.
Head coach Mike McDaniel is expected to return for the next season, but the team will have a new general manager following Chris Grier’s departure midway through the previous season. Key questions, such as the future of Tagovailoa as the starting quarterback, will be deliberated during the offseason. However, they at least know who their opponents will be in 2026.
List of opponents for Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins schedule analysis
Next season, the Dolphins will have a mix of eight home games and nine road games until the 2026 international bracket is revealed. Their rotation includes playing against all teams in the NFC North and AFC West, along with their usual six divisional games in the AFC East. Since they finished third in their division, they’ll round out their 17-game schedule by facing the third-place teams from the NFC West (Rams or 49ers), AFC North (Bengals), and AFC South (Colts).
Next season is likely to present one of the toughest schedules in the league for the Dolphins, as they will be playing nine games against teams that participated in the 2025 playoffs. Four of these will be against the Patriots and Bills within their division, adding significant pressure as they aim for their first AFC East title since 2008. Additionally, teams like the Lions and Bengals could show marked improvement after underwhelming seasons. With Patrick Mahomes potentially recovering from a torn ACL/LCL during the offseason, the challenge of facing the Chiefs will depend on the timing of their matchup. It looks like another challenging year at Hard Rock Stadium for the Dolphins.
