The 2025 season was the Miami Dolphins' 56th in the National Football League (NFL), their 60th overall, their tenth and final under general manager Chris Grier and their fourth and final under head coach Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins failed to improve on their 8–9 record from last year after a Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Dolphins started the season with an abysmal 2-7 record. However, they had a midseason turnaround, winning four consecutive games in a row to keep their playoff hopes alive late in the season. However, after a loss in Week 15 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami was officially eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive season. This also extended their playoff victory drought to 25 seasons — the longest active playoff victory drought in the NFL.
On October 31, the Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier parted ways shortly after a Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. After an inconsistent season from starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, he was benched ahead of the week 16 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals for rookie Quinn Ewers. The Dolphins went 5–4 at home but 2–6 on the road, which ultimately cost them a trip to the postseason.
Head coach Mike McDaniel was fired on January 8, 2026, following the conclusion of the season.
This would also be Tua's final season with Miami, as they ended up releasing him in the offseason and he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
Draft
+ 2025 Miami Dolphins draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 13 Kenneth Grant DE Michigan 2 37 Jonah Savaiinaea G Arizona From Las Vegas Raiders 48 Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders 3 79 Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles 98 Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders Compensatory selection 4 116 Traded to the Houston Texans 135 Traded to the Las Vegas Raiders Compensatory selection 5 143 Jordan Phillips NT Maryland From Las Vegas Raiders 150 Jason Marshall Jr. CB Florida 155 Dante Trader Jr. S Maryland From Broncos 6 179 Ollie Gordon II RB Oklahoma State From Houston 192 Traded to the Chicago Bears 7 224 Traded to the Houston Texans From Bears 231 Quinn Ewers QB Texas 253 Zeek Biggers DE Georgia Tech Compensatory selection
Draft trades
+ 2025 Miami Dolphins undrafted free agents Position Player College CB BJ Adams UCF WR Andrew Armstrong Arkansas LB Eugene Asante Auburn WR Monaray Baldwin Baylor TE Jalin Conyers Texas Tech WR A. J. Henning Northwestern LS Kneeland Hibbett Alabama DT Alex Huntley South Carolina OL Tedi Kushi Western Michigan RB Nate Noel Missouri OL Josh Priebe Michigan CB Ethan Robinson Minnesota DT Tre'vonn Rybka Kentucky S John Saunders Jr. Ole Miss WR Theo Wease Jr. Missouri OL Addison West Western Michigan
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Chicago Bears T 24–24 0–0–1 Soldier Field Recap 2 at Detroit Lions W 24–17 1–0–1 Ford Field Recap 3 Jacksonville Jaguars W 14–6 2–0–1 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 at Indianapolis Colts L 8–33 0–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 2 September 14 New England Patriots L 27–33 0–2 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 3 at Buffalo Bills L 21–31 0–3 Highmark Stadium Recap 4 New York Jets W 27–21 1–3 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 5 October 5 at Carolina Panthers L 24–27 1–4 Bank of America Stadium Recap 6 October 12 Los Angeles Chargers L 27–29 1–5 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 7 October 19 at Cleveland Browns L 6–31 1–6 Huntington Bank Field Recap 8 October 26 at Atlanta Falcons W 34–10 2–6 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 9 Baltimore Ravens L 6–28 2–7 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 10 November 9 Buffalo Bills W 30–13 3–7 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 11 November 16 Washington Commanders W 16–13 4–7 Santiago Bernabéu Stadium Recap 12Bye 13 November 30 New Orleans Saints W 21–17 5–7 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 14 December 7 at New York Jets W 34–10 6–7 MetLife Stadium Recap 15 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 15–28 6–8 Acrisure Stadium Recap 16 December 21 Cincinnati Bengals L 21–45 6–9 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 17 December 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–17 7–9 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 18 January 4 at New England Patriots L 10–38 7–10 Gillette Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts
With the blowout loss (their first Week 1 loss since 2020), the Dolphins started the season 0–1.
Week 2: vs. New England Patriots
With their first home loss to New England since 2019 (first overall since 2022), the Dolphins fell to 0–2 and 0–1 against the AFC East. This marked quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's first ever loss to the Patriots as their starting quarterback in his career.
Week 3: at Buffalo Bills
With their 7th consecutive loss to the Bills since 2022, the Dolphins dropped to 0–3 on the season.
Week 4: vs. New York Jets
The Dolphins' first win of the season was marred when Tyreek Hill was lost to a season-ending knee injury early in the third quarter. Nonetheless, this was the Dolphins' tenth consecutive home win over the Jets.
Week 5: at Carolina Panthers
The Dolphins blew a 17–0 lead and lost to Bryce Young and the Panthers, 27–24. Miami was also notably outgained 239–19 on the ground in this game, resulting in the Dolphins falling to 1–4.
Week 6: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The Dolphins overcame a 26–13 fourth-quarter deficit to take a 27–26 lead with 46 seconds remaining. However, they allowed Justin Herbert to connect on a 42-yard pass to wide receiver Ladd McConkey, which set up a game-winning 33-yard field goal. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 1–5. It marked their worst start since 2021.
Following the game, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made comments that publicly called out his teammates, drawing widespread scrutiny from former NFL players and analysts.
Week 7: at Cleveland Browns
With the embarrassing loss, the Dolphins drop to 1–6 and 0–1 against the AFC North.
Week 8: at Atlanta Falcons
Despite entering the game as touchdown underdogs, the Dolphins dominated the Falcons in a big upset victory. The Dolphins improved to 2–6 and 1–1 against the NFC South.
Week 9: vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Dolphins turned in another disappointing performance and lost 28–6 to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. This dropped Miami to 2–7 and 0–2 against the AFC North.
The next day, the Dolphins announced that general manager Chris Grier and the team had mutually agreed to part ways. Grier, who had been with the organization since 2000 and served as general manager since 2016, finished his tenure with Miami with five winning seasons and three playoff appearances, but no postseason victories.
Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills
Although the Bills entered the game as more than touchdown favorites (-8.5), the Dolphins crushed them, blowing the game open and snapping their seven-game losing streak to Buffalo. This was Miami's first win over the Bills since Week 3 of the 2022 season.
Week 11: vs. Washington Commanders NFL International Series
The Dolphins and Commanders played in Madrid in the first NFL regular season game held in Spain as part of the NFL International Series.
On the first play of overtime, Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota threw an interception to Jack Jones, which set up a game-winning 29-yard field goal by Riley Patterson.
With their fourth win in their last 5 games against Washington since 2011, the Dolphins improved to 4–7 entering their bye.
Week 13: vs. New Orleans Saints
With their first home win against the Saints since 1998, the Dolphins improved to 5–7 and 2–1 against the NFC South.
Week 14: at New York Jets
Tua Tagovailoa recorded his first career win in a game with a kickoff temperature of 46 degrees or colder, as the kickoff temperature was 41 degrees.
Week 15: at Pittsburgh Steelers
With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 6–8 (0–3 against the AFC North) and they were eliminated from playoff contention.
Two days later, the Dolphins announced that Tua Tagovailoa would be benched following his struggles, with rookie Quinn Ewers named as the starting quarterback.
Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
With the loss, Miami secured their second straight losing season as they fell to 6–9 and they were the only AFC East team that was swept by the AFC North.
Week 17: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With their first win against the Buccaneers since 2009, the Dolphins improved to 7–9, finishing 3–1 against the NFC South (4–1 against the NFC) and 5–4 at home.
Week 18: at New England Patriots
With the loss, the Dolphins were swept by the Patriots for the first time since 2016, and finished the season 7–10 (3–3 against the AFC East) and 2–6 on the road. Head Coach Mike McDaniel was fired four days after.
Standings Division
Conference
Notes
References
External links