Are the Miami Dolphins being overlooked?
By Andy Davies
A year is a long time in the NFL world.
Just 12 months ago, prior to the 2024 season, many were tipping the Miami Dolphins to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008, and win their first playoff game in over 20 years.
However, what unfolded, was a disappointing season as they finished the year with an 8-9 record.
Due to the what have you done for me lately nature of the NFL, many fans and member of the media are expecting a poor season for the Dolphins, but are they being overlooked?
Here is a look at how the Dolphins could surprise people in the 2025 NFL season.
Defensive stars coming back from injury
When the Dolphins faced the Baltimore Ravens on the road on New Years Eve in 2023, they went into the game off the back of six wins in their last seven and had the chance to seal the AFC East division crown.
This run includes a shutout 30-0 win over the New York Jets, a 45-15 victory over the Washington Commanders, and only conceding more than 17 points on three of these occasions. Hope was high ahead of the game, after the adrenaline of Jason Sanders’ winning field goal securing playoff football for a second consecutive year.
The Dolphins were humbled, losing 56-19.
They were down 28-13 at the half-time break, and decisions not to sit the starters out ended up costing the Dolphins as star linebacker Bradley Chubb tore his ACL. He has yet to return to the NFL field since. After missing the entire 2024 campaign, the 29-year old is set to make a return to the field, along with several other players, such as Jaelan Phillips.
The Dolphins were statistically one of the best defensive units during the 2025 season without Phillips and Chubb, ranking ninth both against the pass and the run under defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
Having these two back, along with newly paid defensive tackle Zach Sieler and 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year nominee Chop Robinson, this defense has the potential to cause teams problems in the 2025 season. With Christian Wilkins currently without a team, there is a potential low money deal that can bring the ‘Salt and Pepper’ band back together.
A hope to return to their former selves on offense
It is not just the defensive side of the ball where the Dolphins have starters returning. They will hope for Jaylen Waddle to be back to full health after missing time in 2024.
Right tackle Austin Jackson will also return after a season ending injury was announced on November 12th. After initially struggling at the NFL level, he had a career year in 2023 and earned a three-year extension worth $36 million ($20.7 million guaranteed).
Miami felt his absence, despite an encouraging run down the stretch. Their run block win rate went down from 71.5% to 67.3%, and their 62.4 % pass block win rate reduced to 50% without him. These both ranked as the second worst in the entire league.
Despite a recent lower left leg injury, where he will miss the next few weeks, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel says he will start in Week One against the Indianapolis Colts. His return will hope to bring back one of the strengths of 2023; the run game.
Raheem Mostert may now be a Las Vegas Raider, but De’Von Achane made great strides last season, with 1,499 total yards and 12 total touchdowns.
Miami are blessed with an exciting young talent in Jaylen Wright and rookie Ollie Gordon II and seventh year running back Alexander Mattison.
Jackson’s return to the field, one of only two right tackles in the current NFL to be a quarterback’s blindside, will be a welcome one for the run game and this could really help this Dolphins team under a head coach who specialised in this area of the offense when an Offensive Coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers.
Tua Tagovailoa makes the Miami Dolphins competitive
Say what you want about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s record in cold weather, against winning teams or his long list of health-based absences from the field, he makes the Dolphins competitive.
With a 38-24 record as a starter, he has never had a losing season as a starter. In his absence last season, the Dolphins looked way off the mark. Whether it was Skylar Thompson, Tyler Huntley or Tim Boyle, none of Miami’s backups looked anywhere near up to the standard required for a team aiming for double digit win seasons.
Miami went 8-9 in 2024, but Tua was 6-5 when he did start. There is no doubt that the Dolphins would have made the playoffs had he been healthy all season, given the fact their opponents they faced without him went for a combined record of 26-42
In 2025, Tua and the Dolphins face the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets (twice), the New Orleans Saints, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Provided he is healthy, this gives him some favourable quarterback matchups that can give Miami six wins without even facing the tougher opponents.
Everyone has an off day, which is where the Dolphins could pounce against the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals defense leaves a lot to be desired, and Tua has twice beaten Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in his NFL career. Provided everyone stays healthy, then there is many a reason to believe that the Dolphins could surprise everyone and sneak in to the playoffs.
ANDY DAVIES
NFL ANALYST
ANDY IS A SPORTS JOURNALISM GRADUATE WITH OVER FOUR YEARS EXPERIENCE OF NFL WRITING AND PODCASTING. ANDY HAS BEEN TO EVERY NFL STADIUM AND IS THE HOST OF THE ACROSS THE POD PODCAST. HE HAS PRESS PASS EXPERIENCE AT THE LONDON GAMES AND MANY OTHER NFL BASED EVENTS SUCH AS THE SUPER BOWL, HAVING INTERVIEWED THE LIKES OF AARON RODGERS, JASON BELL, OSI UMENYIORA, PATRICK MAHOMES, TRAVIS KELCE, DERRICK HENRY, SAQUON BARKLEY AND JALEN HURTS.