| Dolphins–Patriotsrivalry | |
| Team1: | Miami Dolphins |
| Team2: | New England Patriots |
| Team1logo: | Miami Dolphins wordmark.svg |
| Team2logo: | New England Patriots wordmark.svg |
| Location: | Miami, Boston |
| Firstmeeting: | November 27, 1966 Patriots 20, Dolphins 14[1] |
| Mostrecent: | November 24, 2024 Dolphins 34, Patriots 15 |
| Nextmeeting: | 2025 |
| Stadiums: | Dolphins: Hard Rock Stadium Patriots: Gillette Stadium |
| Total: | 119 |
| Series: | Dolphins: 64–55 |
| Regularseason: | Dolphins: 63–53 |
| Postseason: | Patriots: 2–1 |
| Largestvictory: | Dolphins: 52–0 Patriots: 43–0 |
| Longeststreak: | Dolphins: 9 (1989-1993) Patriots: 7 (1986-1988; 2010-2013) |
| Currentstreak: | Dolphins: 4 (2023–present) |
| Section Header: | Post-season history |
The Dolphins–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.
The Dolphins joined the AFL in the 1966 season, being placed in the AFL Eastern Division alongside the Patriots, becoming divisional rivals with them. Following the AFL–NFL merger, the Dolphins and Patriots joined the National Football League (NFL) and were placed in the American Football Conference (AFC) and the AFC East.
The Dolphins lead the overall series, 64–55. The two teams have met three times in the playoffs, with the Patriots holding a 2–1 record.[1]
While not as famous as some other rivalries, the rivalry has a long history that dates back to the 1960s. The beginning of the rivalry was dominated by the Dolphins, as at the time the Dolphins were one of the NFL's most successful teams, while the Patriots were one of the worst. This trend would change during the early 2000s when the Patriots became more and more successful, eventually culminating with the Brady & Belichick dynasty, while the Dolphins, and the rest of the AFC East, would become mired in mediocrity.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] The Patriots finally made the Super Bowl in 1985, having defeated Miami in the AFC Championship game to get there.[7]
Starting in 1986, the rivalry was a little bit more even, with the Pats having a 7-game winning streak from 1986 to 1988. The Dolphins then took over the rivalry once again, winning 13 of the next 15 matchups between the 2 teams. Both teams had great quarterbacks in the 1990s, with the Patriots having Drew Bledsoe and the Dolphins with Dan Marino, both of whom appeared in at least one Super Bowl; Marino in Super Bowl XIX and Bledsoe in Super Bowl XXXI. The Dolphins continued to dominate the rivalry through the late 1990s with the Dolphins sweeping the Patriots in back to back years, 1999 and 2000.
Miami is one of 3 teams in the AFC with a winning overall record against New England (the others being the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs). Since 2003, the Patriots have dominated the rivalry, but not as much as their rivalries with their two other AFC East opponents.[8] [9] In 2004, one of the most famous moments in the rivalry happened where the Dolphins, 2–11 at the time, upset the defending champion Patriots, who were 12–1, in a game that has been known as "The Night That Courage Wore Orange".[10] The rivalry briefly intensified in 2005 when Nick Saban (who previously served as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, coached by Bill Belichick at the time) was hired as the Dolphins head coach and when he nearly signed quarterback Drew Brees with the Dolphins, as well as in 2008 when the Dolphins became the only team other than the Patriots since 2003 to win the division.[11] In Week 3 of the aforementioned 2008 season, the Dolphins used the Wildcat formation to throw the Patriots (who were without Tom Brady that year because of an ACL injury earlier in the season) off and went on to upset them, 38–13, snapping their 20-game regular season winning streak that dated back to December 10, 2006, which coincidentally, the Patriots were also beat by the Dolphins.[12] In 2018, the Dolphins upset the Patriots in Miami for the second year in a row, this time with a last-minute hook and lateral scoring play in what is known as the "Miracle in Miami".[13]
On February 4, 2019, the Dolphins hired a long-time Patriots assistant, Brian Flores (who had been with the team since their 2004 Super Bowl-winning season) as the 12th head coach in franchise history. In 2021, the rivalry intensified once again after the Patriots drafted Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, a former college teammate of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whom Jones backed up in the first half of the 2019 season until a season-ending hip injury from Tagovailoa caused Jones to take the helms at quarterback for Alabama. Both quarterbacks led Alabama to national titles in 2018 and 2021, respectively. In 2022, the Dolphins hired former Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker to be their new wide receivers coach. Welker previously played for the Dolphins from 2004 to 2006 and the hiring would reunite him with Dolphins defensive coordinator and former long-time Patriots assistant Josh Boyer, whom was serving as a defensive assistant and later the defensive backs coach during Welker's tenure with New England (2007–2012).
Also notable is the fact that the Dolphins and Patriots are the only NFL teams to post undefeated regular season records following the NFL-AFL merger. The 1972 Dolphins finished with a 14–0 regular season record and went on to win Super Bowl VII, finishing the only complete perfect season in NFL history,[14] while the 2007 Patriots were the first team to go undefeated in the regular season since the league expanded to 16 games, but famously lost Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants. Additionally, both teams have had long-tenured coaches in Don Shula and Bill Belichick, respectively.[15]
During the Dolphins–Patriots game in Foxboro on September 17, 2023, a Patriots fan died after an altercation with Dolphins fans.[16] The Patriots fan, Dale Mooney, had confronted a Dolphins fan who had been arguing with his group before another Dolphins fan delivered two punches to Mooney, who fell unconscious and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.[17] Despite the attack, an autopsy found that Mooney did not suffer a traumatic injury directly from the punches and instead succumbed to a "medical issue", which a witness to the altercation surmised was a heart attack from "getting worked up from the scuffle".[18] Two men from Rhode Island, John Vieira and Justin Mitchell, were later charged in Mooney's death for assault and battery and disorderly conduct, but not for homicide despite the medical examiner ruling Mooney's cause of death to be homicide.[19]
|-| 1966| style="| | style="| Patriots
20–14| no game| Patriots
1–0| Dolphins join the American Football League (AFL) as an expansion team. They are placed in the AFL Eastern Division, resulting in two meetings annually with the Patriots.|-| 1967| Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
41–32| style="| Patriots
41–10| Patriots
2–1| |-| 1968| style="| | style="| Dolphins
38–7| style="| Dolphins
34–10| Dolphins
3–2| |-| 1969| Tie 1–1| style="| Patriots
38–23| style="| Dolphins
17–16| Dolphins
4–3| Dolphins' home game was played at Tampa Stadium in Tampa.|-|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
37–20| style="| Patriots
27–14| Dolphins
5–4| As a result of the AFL–NFL merger, the Dolphins and Patriots are placed in the AFC East.
Dolphins hire Don Shula as their head coach.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
41–3| style="| Patriots
34–13| Dolphins
6–5| Patriots open Schaefer Stadium (now known as Foxboro Stadium) and change their name to "New England Patriots".
Dolphins lose Super Bowl VI.|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
52–0| style="| Dolphins
37–21| Dolphins
8–5| In Miami, Dolphins set franchise records for their largest victory overall with a 52–point differential, their most points scored in a game (broken in 1977) and their most points scored in a game against the Patriots. Meanwhile, Patriots set franchise records their worst loss overall and their most points allowed in a game.
Dolphins win Super Bowl VII to complete the NFL's first 17-0 season.|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
44-23| style="| Dolphins
30-14| Dolphins
10–5| Dolphins win Super Bowl VIII.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
34–27| style="| Patriots
34–24| Dolphins
11–6| |-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
20–7| style="| Dolphins
22–14| Dolphins
13–6| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
10–3| style="| Patriots
30–14| Dolphins
14–7| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
17–5| style="| Patriots
14–10| Dolphins
15–8| |-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
23–3| style="| Patriots
33–24| Dolphins
16–9| In Miami, QB Bob Griese finished with a perfect passer rating (158.3).
Both teams finished with 11–5 records, but the Patriots clinched the AFC East based on having a better division record.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
39–24| style="| Patriots
28–13| Dolphins
17–10| |-|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
16–13(OT)| style="| Patriots
34–0| Dolphins
18–11| In New England, Dolphins finish with 88 total yards, setting a franchise record for their least total yards in a game.|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
24–14| style="| Dolphins
30–27(OT)| Dolphins
20–11| |-| | style="| | canceled| style="| Patriots
3–0| Dolphins
20–12| Due to the 1982 NFL Players' strike, the game scheduled in Miami was canceled.
Game in New England became known as the Snowplow Game.
Dolphins lose Super Bowl XVII.|- style="background:#f2f2f2; font-weight:bold;"| 1982 Playoffs| style="| | style="| Dolphins
28–13| | Dolphins
21–12| AFC First Round.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
34–24| style="| Patriots
17–6| Dolphins
22–13| Dolphins draft QB Dan Marino.|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
28–7| style="| Dolphins
44–24| Dolphins
24–13| In New England, Dolphins finish with 552 total yards, setting a franchise record for their most total yards in a game (broken in 1988).
Dolphins lose Super Bowl XIX.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
30–27| style="| Patriots
17–13| Dolphins
25–14| Dolphins win 18 straight home meetings (1970-1985).|- style="background:#f2f2f2; font-weight:bold;"| 1985 Playoffs| style="| | style="| Patriots
31–14| | Dolphins
25–15| AFC Championship Game.
Patriots' first win in Miami since the 1966 season.
Patriots go on to lose Super Bowl XX.|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
34–27| style="| Patriots
34–7| Dolphins
25–17| Patriots record their first season series sweep against the Dolphins.|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
24–10| style="| Patriots
28–21| Dolphins
25–19| Dolphins open Hard Rock Stadium (then known as Joe Robbie Stadium).|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
6–3| style="| Patriots
21–10| Dolphins
25–21| |-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
31–10| style="| Dolphins
24–10| Dolphins
27–21||-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
17–10| style="| Dolphins
27–24| Dolphins
29–21| |-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
30–20| style="| Dolphins
20–10| Dolphins
31–21| |-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
38–17| style="| Dolphins
16–13(OT)| Dolphins
33–21||-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
17–13| style="| Patriots
33–27(OT)| Dolphins
34–22| Dolphins win nine straight meetings (1989–1993).
Patriots eliminate Dolphins from playoff contention with their win.|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
39–35| style="| Dolphins
23–3| Dolphins
36–22| Game in Miami marked Dolphins' QB Dan Marino's first game after missing most of the 1993 season due to a torn Achilles' tendon. Marino and Patriots' QB Drew Bledsoe threw for over 400 yards.
Both teams finished with 10–6 records, but the Dolphins clinched the AFC East based on their head-to-head sweep.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Patriots
34–17| style="| Dolphins
20–3| Dolphins
37–23| Road team splits the season series for the first time since the 1969 season.
Last season for Don Shula.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
24–10| style="| Patriots
42–23| Dolphins
38–24| Patriots lose Super Bowl XXXI.|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
14–12| style="| Patriots
27–24| Dolphins
38–26| In Miami, Patriots clinched the AFC East with their win, setting up a rematch in the AFC Wild Card Round the following week.|- style="background:#f2f2f2; font-weight:bold;"| 1997 Playoffs| style="| | | style="| Patriots
17–3| Dolphins
38–27| AFC Wild Card Round.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
12–9(OT)| style="| Patriots
26–23| Dolphins
39–28| |-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
27–17| style="| Dolphins
31–30| Dolphins
41–28| In New England, Dolphins finish with 9 sacks, setting a franchise record for their most sacks in a game.
Final season for Dan Marino in the series.|-|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
10–3| style="| Dolphins
27–24| Dolphins
43–28| Patriots draft QB Tom Brady and hire Bill Belichick as their head coach.
Last Start for Patriots' QB Drew Bledsoe in the series.
In New England, Dolphins clinched the AFC East with their win.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
30–10| style="| Patriots
20–13| Dolphins
44–29| Tom Brady makes his debut in the series.
Both teams finished with 11–5 records, but the Patriots clinched the AFC East based on having a better division record.
Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
26–13| style="| Patriots
27–24(OT)| Dolphins
45–30| Patriots open Gillette Stadium.
Patriots deny Dolphins the AFC East title with their win, but both teams are eliminated following the Jets victory later in the day.|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
| style="| Patriots
12–0| Dolphins
45–32| Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVIII.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
29–28| style="| Patriots
24–10| Dolphins
46–33| 2–11 Dolphins defeat 12–1 Patriots in what is dubbed "The Night That Courage Wore Orange".
Patriots win Super Bowl XXXIX.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Patriots
23–16| style="| Dolphins
28–26| Dolphins
47–34 ||-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
21–0| style="| Patriots
20–10| Dolphins
48–35| |-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
49–28| style="| Patriots
28–7| Dolphins
48–37| In Miami, Patriots score their most points in a game against the Dolphins as Tom Brady throws for 6 touchdown passes for the first time in his career. He also finishes with a perfect passer rating (158.3) for the first time in his career.
Patriots complete 16–0 regular season.
Patriots lose Super Bowl XLII.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Patriots
48–28| style="| Dolphins
38–13| Dolphins
49–38| Dolphins frequently use the "Wildcat formation" to defeat Patriots, this formation gains popularity in the league.
Tom Brady did not play in either game due to a season-ending knee injury in the season opener.
Both teams finished with 11–5 records, but the Dolphins clinched the AFC East based on having a better conference record, eliminating the Patriots from playoff contention.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
22–21| style="| Patriots
27–17| Dolphins
50–39| |-|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
41–14| style="| Patriots
38–7| Dolphins
50–41| |-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
38–24| style="| Patriots
27–24| Dolphins
50–43| In Miami, Patriots finish with 622 total yards, setting a franchise record for most yards in a game. It also set a franchise record for most yards allowed in a game by the Dolphins at the time (broken in 2019). Tom Brady finished with 517 passing yards, the most passing yards in a game in his career and a Patriots' franchise record for most passing yards in a game. It is also a franchise record for most passing yards allowed in a game by the Dolphins.
Patriots lose Super Bowl XLVI.|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
23–16| style="| Patriots
28–0| Dolphins
50–45||-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
24–20| style="| Patriots
27–17| Dolphins
51–46||-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
33–20| style="| Patriots
41–13| Dolphins
52–47| Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
20–10| style="| Patriots
36–7| Dolphins
53–48| Dolphins prevent the Patriots from clinching the AFC's #1 seed with their win.|-| | style="| | style="| Patriots
35–14| style="| Patriots
31–24| Dolphins
53–50| Patriots win Super Bowl LI.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
27–20| style="| Patriots
35–17| Dolphins
54–51| Patriots lose Super Bowl LII.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
34–33| style="| Patriots
38–7| Dolphins
55–52| Patriots win 10 straight home meetings (2009–2018).
In Miami, Dolphins win on a lateral pass on the game's final play.
Patriots win Super Bowl LIII.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Patriots
43–0| style="| Dolphins
27–24| Dolphins
56–53| In Miami, Patriots record their largest victory against the Dolphins with a 43–point differential.
Dolphins prevent Patriots from clinching a first-round bye with their win.
Game in Miami was QB Tom Brady's final regular season game as the Patriots' quarterback.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
22–12| style="| Patriots
21–11| Dolphins
57–54| Dophins eliminate the Patriots from playoff contention for the first time since the 2008 season with their win.|-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
33–24| style="| Dolphins
17–16| Dolphins
59–54| Dolphins' first season series sweep against the Patriots since the 2000 season.|-| | Tie 1–1| style="| Dolphins
20–7| style="| Patriots
23–21| Dolphins
60–55||-| | style="| | style="| Dolphins
31–17| style="| Dolphins
24–17| Dolphins
62–55| Final season Bill Belichick was the Patriots' head coach.|- | | style="| | style="| Dolphins
34–15| style="| Dolphins
15–10| Dolphins
64–55||- |-| AFL regular season| style="|Dolphins 4–3| Tie 2–2| Dolphins 2–1||-| NFL regular season| style="|Dolphins 59–50| Dolphins 40–14 | Patriots 36–19| |-| AFL and NFL regular season| style="|Dolphins 63–53| Dolphins 42–16 | Patriots 37–21| |-| NFL postseason| style="|Patriots 2–1| Tie 1–1| Patriots 1–0| AFC Wild Card Round: 1982,1997
AFC Championship: 1985|-| Regular and postseason | style="|Dolphins 64–55| Dolphins 43–17 | Patriots 38–21| Dolphins are 1–0 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa (1969), accounted for as a Dolphins' home game.|-
| Name | Dolphins' tenure | Patriots' tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Boyer | Defensive pass game coordinator/Cornerbacks coach, 2019 Defensive coordinator, 2020–2023 | Defensive assistant, 2006–2008 Defensive backs coach, 2009–2011 Cornerbacks coach, 2012–2018 |
| Dom Capers | Defensive coordinator, 2006–2007 | Special assistant and secondary coach, 2008 |
| Brian Daboll | Offensive coordinator, 2011 | Defensive assistant, 2000–2001 Wide receivers coach, 2002–2006 Tight ends coach, 2013–2016 |
| Dave DeGuglielmo | Offensive line coach, 2009–2011, 2017, 2019 (asst) | Offensive line coach, 2014–2015 |
| Brian Flores | Head coach, 2019–2021 | Scouting assistant, 2004–2005 Pro scout, 2006–2007 Special teams assistant, 2008–2009 Assistant offense & special teams, 2010 Defensive assistant, 2011 Safeties coach, 2012–2015 Linebackers coach, 2016–2018 Defensive play-caller, 2018 |
| George Godsey | Tight ends coach, 2019–present Co-offensive coordinator, 2021 | Offensive assistant, 2011 Tight ends coach, 2012–2013 |
| Patrick Graham | Defensive coordinator, 2019 | Coaching assistant, 2009 Defensive assistant, 2010 Defensive line coach, 2012–2013 Linebackers coach, 2014–2015 |
| Chris Grier | Area scout, 2000–2002 National scout/assistant director of college scouting, 2003–2007 Director of college scouting, 2007–2015 General manager, 2016–present | Intern, 1994 Regional scout, 1995–1999 |
| Chad O'Shea | Offensive coordinator, 2019 | Wide receivers coach, 2009–2018 |
| Jerry Schuplinski | Assistant quarterbacks coach, 2019 | Offensive assistant, 2013–2015 Assistant quarterbacks coach, 2016–2018 |