The 2000 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 31st season in the National Football League, the 35th overall and was their first under new head coach Dave Wannstedt who was named the fourth head coach in franchise history on January 16, 2000,NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p.63 the same day that Jimmy Johnson announced his retirement from coaching. For the first season since 1982, Dan Marino was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement prior to the season. Believed by many as the greatest Miami Dolphin of all time, Marino led the Dolphins to ten playoff appearances, one of which ended in Super Bowl XIX, and is the winningest quarterback to have not won a Super Bowl. Jay Fiedler, who left the Jacksonville Jaguars, succeeded Marino as starting quarterback. Damon Huard remained a backup quarterback and started for Fiedler in one game during the season.
Although Marino was no longer on the team, the Dolphins hoped to improve from their 9–7 record in the previous season. The Dolphins began the season strong, with a 6–2 record halfway through. Both losses were by small margins. The second loss occurred during a road game dubbed the Monday Night Miracle, against the New York Jets, which scored 30 points in the fourth quarter and then defeated the Dolphins by a field goal in overtime. The Dolphins fared only slightly worse in the second half of the season, winning five games and losing three. The team finished with a record of 11–5, their best record since 1992. This was the Dolphins' fourth consecutive winning season and the first time the club won the AFC East title since 1994.
Additionally, this was the Dolphins' fourth consecutive season in which they advanced to the playoffs. In the Wild Card round, they defeated the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 23–17 in overtime. However, the Dolphins were shut out 27–0 by the Oakland Raiders in the Divisional round the following week. As of the 2025 season, this is the most recent time Miami has won a playoff game, making it 25 straight years that the Miami Dolphins have failed to win a playoff game. The Dolphins would not sweep the New England Patriots during the regular season again until 2021. Seven Dolphins players were selected for the Pro Bowl.
Offseason Additions Subtractions QB Jay Fiedler (Jaguars) QB Dan Marino (retirement) RB Lamar Smith (Saints) WR Yatil Green (Jets) CB Terrance Shaw (Chargers) S Shawn Wooden (Bears) WR Leslie Shepherd (Browns) CB Terrell Buckley (Broncos) P Matt Turk (Redskins) G Kevin Gogan (Chargers) G Heath Irwin (Patriots) LB O. J. Brigance (Ravens) LB Scott Galyon (Giants) T James Brown (Browns) WR Jeff Ogden (Cowboys) FB Stanley Pritchett (Eagles) S Brian Walker (Seahawks) TE Troy Drayton (Chiefs) RB Thurman Thomas (Bills) WR Bert Emanuel (Buccaneers)
NFL draft
The Football Database. Retrieved 2014-Jan-12.
Undrafted free agents
+ 2000 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeRameel ConnorDefensive endIllinoisTrent GambleCornerbackWyomingDamian GregoryDefensive tackleIllinois StateTommy HendricksLinebackerMichiganSteve HerndonGuardGeorgiaTerrance HustonTight endButte CollegeCarlos NunoTight endBYUAdewale OgunleyeDefensive endIndianaTeddy SaltersFullbackSouth CarolinaDamon SavageWide receiverTulsaKyle ShipleyLinebackerTexas TechJeff SnedegarLinebackerKentuckyQuinton SpotwoodWide receiverSyracusePeter SylvesterFullbackDrakeJay TaylorKickerWest Virginia
Staff
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 5 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–13 0–1 Three Rivers Stadium Recap 2 August 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 15–13 1–1 Pro Player Stadium Recap 3 August 21 Green Bay Packers W 17–14 2–1 Pro Player Stadium Recap 4 August 25 at New Orleans Saints W 22–17 3–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 3 Seattle Seahawks W 23–0 1–0 Pro Player Stadium 72,949 2 September 10 at Minnesota Vikings L 7–13 1–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,112 3 September 17 Baltimore Ravens W 19–6 2–1 Pro Player Stadium 73,464 4 September 24 New England Patriots W 10–3 3–1 Pro Player Stadium 73,344 5 October 1 at Cincinnati Bengals W 31–16 4–1 Paul Brown Stadium 61,535 6 October 8 Buffalo Bills W 22–13 5–1 Pro Player Stadium 73,901 7 Bye 8 at New York Jets L 37–40 5–2 Giants Stadium 78,389 9 October 29 Green Bay Packers W 28–20 6–2 Pro Player Stadium 73,740 10 November 5 at Detroit Lions W 23–8 7–2 Pontiac Silverdome 77,813 11 November 12 at San Diego Chargers W 17–7 8–2 Qualcomm Stadium 56,896 12 November 19 New York Jets L 3–20 8–3 Pro Player Stadium 74,320 13 November 26 at Indianapolis Colts W 17–14 9–3 RCA Dome 56,935 14 December 3 at Buffalo Bills W 33–6 10–3 Ralph Wilson Stadium 73,002 15 December 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 13–16 10–4 Pro Player Stadium 74,307 16 December 17 Indianapolis Colts L 13–20 10–5 Pro Player Stadium 73,884 17 December 24 at New England Patriots W 27–24 11–5 Foxboro Stadium 60,292
Games summaries
Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Jay Fiedler started as quarterback in the first Miami Dolphins season opener without Dan Marino since 1983. Fiedler threw for 134 yards, completing 15 out of 24 passes, with no turnovers. In contrast, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jon Kitna was intercepted four times and lost a fumble. Two of the four interceptions were caught by cornerback Sam Madison. Overall, Seattle had six turnovers. Kitna completed 6 out of 13 passes for only 54 yards, before being benched early in the third quarter due to poor performance and being replaced by Brock Huard, brother of Damon Huard. Dolphins running back Lamar Smith rushed for 145 yards. Winning 23–0, Miami caused Seattle to have their first shutout defeat since their 0–19 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in October 1992. Miami opened the season with a record of 1–0 for the ninth consecutive year.
Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings
Miami traveled to Minneapolis for their first road game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings on September 10. Although Minnesota dominated Miami in terms of yardage, the game remained close throughout because mistakes by both teams kept them of out the opponent's end zone until the fourth quarter. Fiedler threw for 175 yards, completing only 12 of 31 passes and throwing an interception to Keith Thibodeaux in the third quarter. Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw for 355 yards and completed 23-for-37, but had three interceptions. Minnesota scored first during the first quarter with a field goal by Gary Anderson. However, neither team would record another score until the fourth quarter. After another field goal from Anderson and a touchdown pass from Culpepper to Randy Moss, the score was 13–0 in favor of Minnesota with 1:56 left in the game. Miami finally scored with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Fiedler to Thurman Thomas with barely a minute on the clock. After that, the Dolphins attempted an onside kick, but the ball was recovered by Orlando Thomas of the Vikings, effectively ending the game with a 13–7 win for Minnesota. Miami fell to 1–1.
Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Dolphins returned to Miami to play against the Baltimore Ravens on September 17. Fiedler threw 11-for-16 with 160 yards, including a touchdown pass and an interception. In the second half, all seven of his pass attempts were successful. Miami scored in each quarter, with a field goal from Olindo Mare in the first and second periods and a pair of touchdowns by Lamar Smith in the third and fourth quarters. Following the fourth quarter touchdown, Mare missed the extra point, only the second time in his 99 career attempts. On the Ravens team, quarterback Tony Banks threw for 189 yards with 19 out of 31 completions, but was sacked six times, intercepted once, and fumbled twice. Facing constant pressure from the Miami defense, Banks was often forced to throw short passes. Unable to reach the Miami end zone, Baltimore had to settle for two field goals from Matt Stover, one each in the third and fourth quarters. Although the Ravens had four more total yards than the Dolphins, Miami was able to win the game with a score of 19–6. The Dolphins improved to 2–1.
During halftime, a 19-minute ceremony was held to honor Dan Marino and retire number 13. The ceremony was begun by former quarterback Bob Griese and included video highlights of Marino's career with the Dolphins. Former head coach Don Shula inducted Marino into the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll. Miami Dolphins president Eddie Jones then presented a life-size statue of Marino on the grounds of Pro Player Stadium. As a result of the ceremony, more than 90 Dolphins alumni were in attendance at this game.
Week 4: vs. New England Patriots
In the Dolphins first division rivalry game of the season, the New England Patriots traveled to play Miami at home on September 24. Neither team performed exceptionally well in terms of passing, rushing, or scoring. Fiedler completed only 50% of his passes, throwing 12-for-24 with 153 yards, which included one touchdown and two interceptions. The first interception, which occurred late in the first quarter, would allow New England to score first, with a field goal by Adam Vinatieri early in the second quarter. Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe had a slightly worse pass completion percentage than Fiedler and was 16-for-33 with 161 yards at the end of the game. With New England leading 3–0 at 14:43 left in the second quarter, Miami answered with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Fiedler to Bert Emanuel about three minutes later. The Dolphins reinforced their lead with a field goal from Mare with only seconds left in the second quarter. Neither Miami nor New England would score for the rest of the game. The Patriots attempted to force overtime or win the game with a touchdown at just 1:08 left in the fourth quarter. However, the pass from Bledsoe to Eric Bjornson on fourth down at the Miami 5-yard line was incomplete, turning the ball over to Miami with barely a minute on the clock. Thus, the Dolphins won 10–3 and improved to 3–1. The 2000 Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to allow only one touchdown in the first four games and had only allowed 22 points by the end of this game.
Week 5: at Cincinnati Bengals
In week 5, Miami traveled to Cincinnati for a match-up against the Bengals on October 1. Fiedler passed 155 yards and completed 14 out of 21, but threw an interception. He also rushed for 45 yards. Bengal quarterback Akili Smith completed 20 out of 38 passes for 178 yards, while rushing for 43 yards. Additionally, Corey Dillon of the Bengals rushed for 110 yards. During the game, Cincinnati held Miami scoreless at 13–0 until near the end of the second quarter. The Dolphins proceeded to score five times from late in the second quarter to early in the fourth quarter, beginning with a field goal by Mare. As the clock ran out during the second quarter, Jason Taylor was able to recover a fumble by Cincinnati and return the ball for a touchdown, ending the first half with a score of 13–10 in favor of Cincinnati. Miami scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, the first an 18-yard rush by Lamar Smith and the second a 7-yard pass from Fiedler to Oronde Gadsden. The Dolphins scored another touchdown early in the fourth quarter, also a reception from Fiedler to Gadsden. About midway through the fourth quarter, the Bengals finally scored again with a field goal by Neil Rackers. Cincinnati was unable to stage a comeback, with Miami winning 31–16. The Dolphins record improved to 4–1.
Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills