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As the Miami Dolphins rebuild, the NFL is taking a pause in putting them on the prime-time national stage.
The Dolphins, viewed as contenders entering past recent seasons, were consistently getting a handful of national stand-alone games.
It’s not the case this year, as the Dolphins reset from the era of general manager Chris Grier, coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, swapping them out for a trio coming from the Green Bay Packers in Jon-Eric Sullivan, Jeff Hafley and Malik Willis in those roles.
The Dolphins’ 2026 slate will be entirely played in afternoon slots. Not one prime-time game, not even a Thursday nighter.
Miami’s full 2026 schedule with dates and times was announced Thursday night.
Opponents have been known for months. This year, the Dolphins, aside from facing their three division rivals twice each, square off against the whole AFC West, NFC North and three teams who finished in the same place in their respective divisions last season: the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers.
Here’s the full Dolphins schedule, with analysis on each matchup (games are all on Sundays).
Week 1: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m.; Fox
The team that drafted Miami native Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall hosts his hometown squad. Will Mendoza be the starter Week 1 or is it veteran Kirk Cousins? The Dolphins travel to Vegas for the first time since 2021.
Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers, Sept. 20, 4:25 p.m.; Fox
And with the Dolphins’ two games in the Pacific time zone to start the season, it’s highly plausible the team stays on the West Coast for the week of practice. This matchup could’ve been sent to Mexico City. Instead, the Dolphins make their third trip to Santa Clara in the past seven seasons and play the 49ers for the fourth time in that span, far more common than usual for cross-conference matchups.
Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sept. 27, 1 p.m.; CBS
The home opener finally arrives after two weeks on the road out west. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is recovering this offseason from last year’s torn ACL, but this matchup no longer possesses the intrigue of Tyreek Hill facing the team he was with prior to the Dolphins following his release this offseason. It’s the Chiefs’ first trip to Miami Gardens since 2020, as Kansas City has won five straight in the series.
Week 4: at Minnesota Vikings, Oct. 4, 4:05 p.m., Fox
Miami goes right back on the road far from home, facing the Vikings for the first time since 2022 and visiting Minneapolis for the first time since 2018. This, of course, is a rematch of the last Super Bowl the Dolphins won, to complete the 1973 season.
Week 5: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Oct. 11, 1 p.m. Fox
Back-to-back seasons with the Dolphins hosting the Bengals. Those still with the team may want to exact revenge after last December’s 45-21 mauling at the hands of quarterback Joe Burrow.
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: at New York Jets, Oct. 25, 1 p.m. CBS
It’s not often you get your first divisional matchup after the bye week. The Dolphins are in the first year of their rebuild, and the Jets are in the second of theirs. Will Miami stay ahead of New York after sweeping the Jets last season? Or could this result lead to a better draft pick than the division rival come April?
Week 8: vs. New England Patriots, Nov. 1, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Back-to-back in the division, but now at home. The Dolphins were swept by last year’s upstart Patriots team that made the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first season there.
Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions, Nov. 8, 1 p.m., Fox
Former Dolphins assistant and interim head coach from the 2015 season, Dan Campbell, finally makes a return to Miami as Lions head coach.
Week 10: at Indianapolis Colts, Nov. 15, 1 p.m., CBS
The Dolphins visit Indy, where they’ve had some ugly outcomes, for the third consecutive season.
Week 11: at Buffalo Bills, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. Fox
The Dolphins’ first game at the Bills’ new stadium, where they hope to have better luck than the old building, where they hadn’t won since 2016.
Week 12: vs. New York Jets, Nov. 29, 1 p.m., CBS
And the Dolphins are done playing the Jets in 2026 before December.
Week 13: at Denver Broncos, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m., Fox
The two teams went in opposite directions since the last time they met, the Dolphins’ convincing 70-20 decision. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle faces his former team after the offseason trade, and might get covered by rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, whom Miami acquired with the top pick from the deal. It’s the Dolphins’ first trip to Denver since 2020.
Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears, Dec. 13, 1 p.m., CBS
Coach Ben Johnson, a Dolphins assistant from 2012 through 2018, returns as head coach of Chicago. In fact, he was wide receivers coach under Adam Gase in his final season with Miami the last time the Bears visited. These two teams met in Illinois for a joint practice and preseason game last year, but the Dolphins are now entirely different.
Week 15: at Green Bay Packers, Dec. 20, 1 p.m., Fox
This is where Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis all make their return to Green Bay as the Dolphins have formed Green Bay Packers South in Miami.
Week 16: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Dec. 27, 1 p.m., Fox
After four years at the helm with the Dolphins, this is the return for Mike McDaniel to Hard Rock Stadium as offensive coordinator of the Chargers under coach Jim Harbaugh. After this matchup always pinned quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, who were consecutive draft picks in 2020, Tagovailoa is no longer with Miami while Herbert is still with the Chargers under McDaniel’s tutelage.
Week 17: vs. Buffalo Bills, Jan. 3, 1 p.m., CBS
And the Bills avoid the early-season heat and humidity of South Florida by visiting in January. As much as the Dolphins have struggled against Buffalo, they did win the last time they faced off, at Hard Rock Stadium.
Week 18: at New England Patriots, Jan. 9 or 10, TBD
The Dolphins finish off the 2026 season where they finished in 2025.
Continue reading...
The Dolphins, viewed as contenders entering past recent seasons, were consistently getting a handful of national stand-alone games.
It’s not the case this year, as the Dolphins reset from the era of general manager Chris Grier, coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, swapping them out for a trio coming from the Green Bay Packers in Jon-Eric Sullivan, Jeff Hafley and Malik Willis in those roles.
The Dolphins’ 2026 slate will be entirely played in afternoon slots. Not one prime-time game, not even a Thursday nighter.
Miami’s full 2026 schedule with dates and times was announced Thursday night.
Opponents have been known for months. This year, the Dolphins, aside from facing their three division rivals twice each, square off against the whole AFC West, NFC North and three teams who finished in the same place in their respective divisions last season: the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers.
Here’s the full Dolphins schedule, with analysis on each matchup (games are all on Sundays).
Week 1: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m.; Fox
The team that drafted Miami native Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall hosts his hometown squad. Will Mendoza be the starter Week 1 or is it veteran Kirk Cousins? The Dolphins travel to Vegas for the first time since 2021.
Week 2: at San Francisco 49ers, Sept. 20, 4:25 p.m.; Fox
And with the Dolphins’ two games in the Pacific time zone to start the season, it’s highly plausible the team stays on the West Coast for the week of practice. This matchup could’ve been sent to Mexico City. Instead, the Dolphins make their third trip to Santa Clara in the past seven seasons and play the 49ers for the fourth time in that span, far more common than usual for cross-conference matchups.
Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sept. 27, 1 p.m.; CBS
The home opener finally arrives after two weeks on the road out west. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is recovering this offseason from last year’s torn ACL, but this matchup no longer possesses the intrigue of Tyreek Hill facing the team he was with prior to the Dolphins following his release this offseason. It’s the Chiefs’ first trip to Miami Gardens since 2020, as Kansas City has won five straight in the series.
Week 4: at Minnesota Vikings, Oct. 4, 4:05 p.m., Fox
Miami goes right back on the road far from home, facing the Vikings for the first time since 2022 and visiting Minneapolis for the first time since 2018. This, of course, is a rematch of the last Super Bowl the Dolphins won, to complete the 1973 season.
Week 5: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Oct. 11, 1 p.m. Fox
Back-to-back seasons with the Dolphins hosting the Bengals. Those still with the team may want to exact revenge after last December’s 45-21 mauling at the hands of quarterback Joe Burrow.
Week 6: BYE
Week 7: at New York Jets, Oct. 25, 1 p.m. CBS
It’s not often you get your first divisional matchup after the bye week. The Dolphins are in the first year of their rebuild, and the Jets are in the second of theirs. Will Miami stay ahead of New York after sweeping the Jets last season? Or could this result lead to a better draft pick than the division rival come April?
Week 8: vs. New England Patriots, Nov. 1, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Back-to-back in the division, but now at home. The Dolphins were swept by last year’s upstart Patriots team that made the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first season there.
Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions, Nov. 8, 1 p.m., Fox
Former Dolphins assistant and interim head coach from the 2015 season, Dan Campbell, finally makes a return to Miami as Lions head coach.
Week 10: at Indianapolis Colts, Nov. 15, 1 p.m., CBS
The Dolphins visit Indy, where they’ve had some ugly outcomes, for the third consecutive season.
Week 11: at Buffalo Bills, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. Fox
The Dolphins’ first game at the Bills’ new stadium, where they hope to have better luck than the old building, where they hadn’t won since 2016.
Week 12: vs. New York Jets, Nov. 29, 1 p.m., CBS
And the Dolphins are done playing the Jets in 2026 before December.
Week 13: at Denver Broncos, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m., Fox
The two teams went in opposite directions since the last time they met, the Dolphins’ convincing 70-20 decision. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle faces his former team after the offseason trade, and might get covered by rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, whom Miami acquired with the top pick from the deal. It’s the Dolphins’ first trip to Denver since 2020.
Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears, Dec. 13, 1 p.m., CBS
Coach Ben Johnson, a Dolphins assistant from 2012 through 2018, returns as head coach of Chicago. In fact, he was wide receivers coach under Adam Gase in his final season with Miami the last time the Bears visited. These two teams met in Illinois for a joint practice and preseason game last year, but the Dolphins are now entirely different.
Week 15: at Green Bay Packers, Dec. 20, 1 p.m., Fox
This is where Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis all make their return to Green Bay as the Dolphins have formed Green Bay Packers South in Miami.
Week 16: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Dec. 27, 1 p.m., Fox
After four years at the helm with the Dolphins, this is the return for Mike McDaniel to Hard Rock Stadium as offensive coordinator of the Chargers under coach Jim Harbaugh. After this matchup always pinned quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, who were consecutive draft picks in 2020, Tagovailoa is no longer with Miami while Herbert is still with the Chargers under McDaniel’s tutelage.
Week 17: vs. Buffalo Bills, Jan. 3, 1 p.m., CBS
And the Bills avoid the early-season heat and humidity of South Florida by visiting in January. As much as the Dolphins have struggled against Buffalo, they did win the last time they faced off, at Hard Rock Stadium.
Week 18: at New England Patriots, Jan. 9 or 10, TBD
The Dolphins finish off the 2026 season where they finished in 2025.
Continue reading...
