MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jeff Hafley’s Miami Dolphins received’t take the area for a significant recreation for an additional 121 days, however the Dolphins now know who they’ll play, when and the place they’ll play, and what time kickoff is scheduled.
Here’s one spoiler alert: Miami won’t have any primetime video games in 2026.
Below is a game-by-game breakdown of the Dolphins’ 2026 schedule.
Week 1 at Las Vegas Raiders (Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. ET)
As talked about Thursday, it’ll mark the third time in franchise historical past that the Dolphins open a season towards the Raiders (1966, 1975) – together with Miami’s first recreation as a franchise in 1966. No. 1 total decide and rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who grew up in Miami, may face the staff he grew up watching.
Week 2 at San Francisco 49ers (Sept. 20, 4:25 p.m. ET)
The Dolphins will keep on the West Coast and go to Levi’s Stadium, the place quarterback Brock Purdy and a vicious 49ers protection await. Interestingly sufficient, Purdy’s first NFL look got here towards the Dolphins on Dec. 4, 2022, when he threw two landing passes in a 33-17 win over Miami.
Week 3 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Sept. 27, 1 p.m. ET)
Hafley’s first regular-season recreation at Hard Rock Stadium will function quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl champion; tight finish Travis Kelce; and, nicely, possibly Taylor Swift. It can even be Dolphins followers’ first in-person have a look at quarterback Malik Willis.
Week 4 at Minnesota Vikings (Oct. 4, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Miami will see a really acquainted face in former head coach Brian Flores, who has turn out to be considered one of the NFL’s higher defensive coordinators since being fired in Miami. Similar to Las Vegas’ state of affairs, the Vikings are coping with a quarterback controversy involving Kyler Murray, acquired this offseason, and J.J. McCarthy.
Week 5 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Oct. 11, 1 p.m. ET)
It was a nightmare for the Dolphins the final time the Bengals flew to Miami Gardens, as quarterback Joe Burrow torched Miami’s protection for 309 passing yards and 4 touchdowns in a 45-21 blowout win on Dec. 21, 2025. The basic Tua Tagovailoa-Burrow matchup now not exists in Miami, with Tagovailoa now with the Atlanta Falcons.
Week 6 Bye (Oct. 18)
It isn’t any secret that the Dolphins have a frightening early schedule, however when it comes to retaining gamers wholesome all through an extended, 17-game season, having their bye week in mid-October could also be a profit for a younger Dolphins squad.
Week 7 at New York Jets (Oct. 25, 1 p.m. ET)
The Dolphins’ first divisional matchup of the 2026 season will likely be on the highway towards the Jets in late October. Welcome again to New York, Geno Smith, who was born in Miramar, Florida, and whom the Raiders traded to the Jets for draft compensation.
Week 8 vs. New England (Nov. 1, 4:25 p.m. ET)
The Super Bowl runner-up from a season in the past will make its annual journey to South Florida to begin the month of November. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has taken the subsequent step underneath head coach Mike Vrabel and can look to proceed that success towards Sean Duggan’s protection. This is Miami’s solely late-window dwelling recreation of the season.
Week 9 vs. Detroit Lions (Nov. 8, 1 p.m. ET)
Another acquainted face Dolphins followers can look ahead to seeing is Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Campbell, 50, took over as interim head coach after Joe Philbin was relieved of his duties throughout the 2015 season. Detroit has an explosive offense, that includes operating again Jahmyr Gibbs; quarterback Jared Goff; tight finish Sam LaPorta; and large receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Week 10 at Indianapolis Colts (Nov. 15, 1 p.m. ET)
It stays to be seen whether or not Colts quarterback Daniel Jones will likely be the starter after Jones tore his Achilles tendon in December 2025 towards the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dolphins followers would moderately not speak about the earlier assembly between the two groups at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Week 11 at Buffalo Bills (Nov. 22, 1 p.m. ET)
The Bills are set to open their brand-new Highmark Stadium forward of the 2026 season, so this will likely be the Dolphins’ first go to there. Hafley is hoping to do one thing earlier Dolphins head coaches couldn’t accomplish, and that’s have success towards quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills. Including the playoffs, Miami is an abysmal 3-16 towards Buffalo since 2017.
Week 12 vs. New York Jets (Nov. 29, 1 p.m. ET)
The high storyline for this recreation could also be draft positioning, with the loser in the driver’s seat for a better first-round decide. By this time, Dolphins followers may have a bigger pattern dimension to find out whether or not Willis is their quarterback of the future.
Week 13 at Denver Broncos (Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Dolphins followers who’re touring to Empower Field at Mile High might need to think about bringing loads of layers to remain heat. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is in the strategy of recovering from a devastating proper ankle damage suffered of their playoff win over the Bills final season, which in the end required surgical procedure, however he’s anticipated to play on this recreation, assuming he’s medically cleared. And earlier than I neglect, the Dolphins can even see their former teammate, large receiver Jaylen Waddle, who spent the first 5 seasons of his profession in Miami Gardens.
Week 14 vs. Chicago Bears (Dec. 13, 1 p.m. ET)
It ought to be an ideal afternoon for soccer in Miami Gardens, with cooler temperatures anticipated to set in. For all of you Ben Johnson nerds, get your tickets now. The Bears are considered one of the extra enjoyable groups to look at in the NFL.
Week 15 at Green Bay Packers (Dec. 20, 1 p.m. ET)
I do know we’re solely in May, however Hafley, Dolphins normal supervisor Jon-Eric Sullivan, and Willis have already got this date circled on their calendars at the staff facility. Another chilly December recreation, and temperatures could also be nicely beneath freezing.
Week 16 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Dec. 27, 1 p.m. ET)
Gone are the memorable debates about whether or not the Dolphins ought to have chosen Justin Herbert over Tagovailoa in the first spherical again in 2020, however there are different huge storylines – notably the return of former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, now the offensive coordinator in Los Angeles after 4 seasons with Miami.
Week 17 vs. Buffalo (Jan. 3, 2027, 1 p.m. ET)
Upsets occur each season in the NFL, and one huge upset in 2025 got here at Hard Rock Stadium, when the Miami Dolphins bullied the Buffalo Bills 30-13 on Nov. 9, a recreation that noticed Dolphins operating again De’Von Achane — who was not too long ago awarded a brand new contract extension — run for a game-high 174 yards and two touchdowns.
Week 18 at New England Patriots (TBD flex recreation)
For the second straight season, the Miami Dolphins will shut the common season at Gillette Stadium, and but it’s one other cold-weather recreation for Miami — a story they’re trying to kill nicely earlier than Week 18. Second-year quarterback Quinn Ewers began the season finale in 2025.
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