Look, being a Miami Dolphins fan is a full-time emotional commitment. You’ve got the heat, the history, and that specific kind of anxiety that only comes when the fourth quarter starts and the lead is slim. But honestly, the hardest part shouldn't be figuring out where can I watch the dolphins game on a Sunday afternoon.
It used to be simple. You turned on the TV, found the local CBS or FOX affiliate, and sat down with a plate of wings. Now? It’s a literal maze of streaming rights, regional blackouts, and exclusive tech partnerships that make you feel like you need a law degree just to find the kickoff.
If you're in South Florida, you're mostly fine. But for the "Dolfans" living in New York, LA, or tucked away in a small town in the Midwest, the struggle is real. The NFL has sliced up its broadcast rights like a Thanksgiving turkey, handing pieces to Amazon, YouTube, and Peacock.
The Local Hero: CBS and FOX
Most of the time, the answer to where can I watch the dolphins game is your local CBS station. Since the Dolphins are in the AFC, CBS holds the primary rights for their Sunday afternoon games. It’s the old-school way. Antennae still work, people. If you’re within the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market, or even West Palm Beach, a $20 digital antenna from any big-box store will get you the game in crisp 1080p without a monthly bill.
Sometimes FOX steals a game. This usually happens during "cross-flex" scheduling where the NFL moves games between networks to balance out the viewership numbers. If Miami is playing an NFC team like the Cowboys or the Giants, check the FOX schedule first.
Don't forget the "in-market" streaming rule. If the game is on your local TV station, you can usually stream it on Paramount+ (for CBS games) or the FOX Sports app, provided you have a cable login or a subscription to those specific services. It's the most stable way to watch, provided your internet doesn't decide to take a nap during a crucial 3rd-and-long.
The Out-of-Market Nightmare (and the Sunday Ticket Fix)
If you live outside of Florida, you’ve probably felt that sting of seeing the "Regional Coverage" map and realizing your local station is showing a Bengals game instead of the Fins. It sucks.
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For years, DirecTV had a stranglehold on this. Now, the baton has passed to YouTube TV. This is the only legitimate, high-quality way to see every single out-of-market Dolphins game. It’s expensive. We’re talking hundreds of dollars a season. You don’t actually need a full YouTube TV monthly subscription to buy the NFL Sunday Ticket anymore—you can get it as a standalone "Primetime Channel"—but it’s still a heavy investment for 17 weeks of football.
There’s a nuance here most people miss. Even with Sunday Ticket, you won't see the game there if it’s being broadcast on your local local station. The "blackout" rules still apply to protect the local affiliates. So, if the Dolphins are playing the local team in your city, Sunday Ticket will tell you to go find a local channel.
Primetime Is a Different Beast
Everything changes when the sun goes down. If the Dolphins are scheduled for Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, or a Sunday night slot, the "where" becomes a moving target.
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- Thursday Night Football: This is strictly an Amazon Prime Video affair. You need a Prime membership. There is one loophole: if you live in the Miami market, the game is required by NFL rules to be broadcast on a local over-the-air station (usually a secondary channel like WSFL or My33).
- Sunday Night Football: This stays on NBC. You can watch it on the NBC channel or stream it via Peacock.
- Monday Night Football: ESPN is the home here, though they often simulcast big games on ABC. If it’s an ESPN-only game, you need a cable sub or a service like Sling TV or Fubo.
Peacock has also started buying "exclusive" games. We saw this with the playoffs recently. It’s annoying. You might have every other service and still find yourself paying $6 for a one-off game because the NFL likes to experiment with our patience.
Using NFL+ for the Budget-Conscious
If you don't mind watching on a small screen, NFL+ is actually a decent deal. For about the price of a fancy latte each month, you can watch live local and primetime games on your phone or tablet.
The catch? You can’t "cast" it to your TV. It’s locked to the mobile device. It’s perfect for the fan who is stuck at a wedding or working a shift and needs to keep the game in their pocket. They also offer "NFL+ Premium," which lets you watch full game replays as soon as the broadcast ends. If you can avoid spoilers for three hours, watching the "condensed" replay—which cuts out all the commercials and huddles—is actually a superior way to consume football. You see every snap of a three-hour game in about 45 minutes.
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The International Angle and VPNs
For the fans in the UK, Germany, or Mexico, the situation is actually... better? The NFL Game Pass International (now through DAZN) offers every single game with no blackouts.
Some US fans try to use a VPN to make it look like they are in London to access this. It’s a cat-and-mouse game. Streaming services are getting really good at blocking known VPN IP addresses. It’s a "use at your own risk" situation because you might spend $200 on a subscription only to find your VPN gets blocked five minutes before kickoff.
Sports Bars: The Social Safety Net
When all else fails, or if you just can't justify the $400 price tag for Sunday Ticket, the local sports bar is your best friend. But don't just go to any bar. Search for "Dolphins Fan Club" or "Miami Dolphins Bar" in your city.
There are massive Dolphins backer bars in places like New York City (Slattery's Midtown Pub is legendary) where the atmosphere is basically a mini-Hard Rock Stadium. Watching there ensures the game will be on the big screen with sound, and you won't have to worry about your Wi-Fi buffering right as Tyreek Hill breaks deep.
Actionable Steps for Sunday Morning:
- Check the Coverage Map: Every Wednesday, sites like 506 Sports post color-coded maps showing which parts of the country get which games on CBS and FOX. Check this first.
- Test Your Logins: Don't wait until 1:00 PM to realize your Paramount+ password expired or your Amazon Prime account is on hold.
- Update Your Apps: If you're using a smart TV or a Roku, those apps often need updates right when you want to use them. Do a quick "check for updates" on Saturday night.
- Have a Backup: If you're streaming, have the radio broadcast (WQAM 560) ready on your phone. Even if you can't see the play, the legendary Joe Rose calling the action is better than nothing.
- Verify the Time Zone: It sounds stupid, but if the Dolphins are playing in London or out West, that kickoff time shifts. Don't be the person waking up at noon for a 9:00 AM London kickoff that’s already in the fourth quarter.