Honestly, looking back at the Miami Dolphins 2025 schedule, "chaotic" might be an understatement. If you followed the Fins this year, you know it wasn't just about the wins and losses—though a 7-10 finish certainly tells a story. It was about the weird travel, the prime-time heartbreaks, and that one November morning in Spain that briefly made us all believe in magic again.
The schedule was out on May 14, 2025, and right away, fans noticed the grind. Starting on the road in Indy? Never easy. Then there was that brutal stretch of night games early on.
The Brutal Opening Act
Miami didn't get any favors from the schedule makers early. Opening at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Colts resulted in a 33-8 thumping that set a grim tone. You’ve probably blocked it out, but that was just the start.
By Week 3, the Dolphins were already heading to Buffalo for Thursday Night Football. Playing in Highmark Stadium on a short week is basically an NFL hazing ritual. Predictably, they dropped that one 31-21. Three weeks in, and the Fins were 0-3.
But then came the spark.
A Monday night home game against the Jets in Week 4 gave us the first real win of the season, 27-21. It felt like the season might stabilize. Of course, this is the Dolphins, so "stable" isn't really in the vocabulary.
Madrid and the Mid-Season Pivot
The absolute highlight of the Miami Dolphins 2025 schedule had to be Week 11. Most teams dread the long-haul international flights, but Miami took the show to Madrid.
Playing at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium against the Commanders was a vibe.
It wasn't a pretty game—hardly any of them were this year—but a 16-13 overtime win in Spain actually put the Dolphins on a three-game winning streak. At that point, they were 4-7 and somehow, weirdly, still in the hunt.
- Week 1: @ Colts (L, 8-33)
- Week 4: vs Jets (W, 27-21)
- Week 11: vs Commanders in Madrid (W, 16-13 OT)
- Week 13: vs Saints (W, 21-17)
That win against New Orleans right after the bye week was the peak. Hard Rock Stadium was loud, the weather was perfect, and for a second, it felt like the 2025 season might actually have a fairy-tale ending.
Why the Wheels Came Off
The NFL is a game of depth, and Miami ran out of it. Losing Tyreek Hill to that dislocated knee in Week 4 against the Jets was the "hidden" turning point. Sure, they won that specific game, but the offense never looked the same.
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Basically, the defense had to play perfectly to keep them in games.
Look at the late-season stretch. Week 15 at Pittsburgh (Monday night) was a defensive slog that ended in a 28-15 loss. Then the Bengals came to town in Week 16 and hung 45 points on us. It was ugly.
By the time Week 18 rolled around, the trip to Foxborough felt like a formality. A 38-10 loss to the Patriots officially closed the book on the Mike McDaniel era.
What This Means for 2026
The dust has barely settled on the 7-10 campaign, but the organization is already in a full-blown reset. With Mike McDaniel out and Chris Grier gone mid-season, the 2025 schedule will likely be remembered as the "end of an era" year.
If you're looking at your season ticket options for 2026, things are going to look very different. The team is sitting on a high draft pick (11th overall), and there’s a lot of talk about moving on from the heavy contracts of the "win-now" window.
What you should do next:
- Check your Renewal Status: If you’re on the Season Ticket Priority List, seat selection for the 2026 season starts in mid-February.
- Watch the Cap: Keep an eye on the post-June 1 designations. If the Fins release Tyreek Hill as rumored, they’ll clear about $35 million in space to start the rebuild.
- Draft Prep: Start looking at wide receiver prospects like Jordyn Tyson. With the 11th pick, Miami is almost certainly looking for a new WR1 to pair with Jaylen Waddle.
The 2025 season was a wild ride that didn't quite reach the destination we wanted, but at least we'll always have that win in Madrid.