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Dolphins–Patriots rivalry
AFC East Rivalry

Dolphins–Patriots

The long-running AFC East grudge

Matchup:Dolphins–Patriots
First Meeting:1966
Division:AFC East
2026 Meetings:2

A six-decade AFC East divisional series between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots that has swung sharply between two long eras of dominance. The Dolphins ran the early decades; the Patriots seized control in the 2000s, yet Miami still holds the all-time lead.

The Rivalry

The two franchises have shared a division since the Dolphins entered the AFL in 1966, guaranteeing at least two meetings every year. The opening era belonged to Miami, then one of football's elite clubs while the Patriots languished near the bottom — the Dolphins' 52-0 rout in 1972 remains their largest margin of victory ever. New England answered with the 1985 AFC Championship, beating Miami before falling in Super Bowl XX. The balance flipped hard in 2003 once the Brady-Belichick Patriots became a juggernaut, stringing together long stretches of control. Even so, Miami delivered signature upsets that kept the rivalry hot — the 2008 Wildcat ambush and the 2018 "Miracle in Miami" lateral both stunned New England. Across more than 120 games the Dolphins still lead the all-time series, a reminder that no era settled it for good.

What's at Stake

Every meeting carries divisional weight in the AFC East, where head-to-head results and tiebreakers can decide playoff seeding. The geographic contrast sharpens it: sun-soaked South Florida against New England's cold-weather culture, with two passionate fan bases who circle these dates. For Miami, beating the Patriots has long meant proving the gap has closed; for New England, it means defending a division it dominated for two decades.

Famous Moments

  • 1972 — Miami crushed New England 52-0, still the largest margin of victory in Dolphins franchise history.
  • 1982 — The Dolphins won the AFC Wild Card meeting 28-13 in the teams' first playoff clash.
  • 1985 — New England won the AFC Championship 31-14 over Miami to reach Super Bowl XX.
  • 2008 — Miami's Wildcat formation produced five touchdowns in a 38-13 upset that snapped New England's 19-game regular-season winning streak.
  • 2018 — The "Miracle in Miami" — a last-second hook-and-lateral — gave the Dolphins a stunning win over the Patriots.

The Dolphins–Patriots Games in 2026

The Two Teams

Plan the Trip

This rivalry lets fans sample two opposite worlds. New England hosts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, between Boston and Providence, where autumn games carry a crisp, hard-edged atmosphere. Miami plays at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, a warm-weather destination pairing football with beaches and nightlife. Catching the home-and-home pair — a chilly Foxborough trip and a tropical Miami getaway — makes a strong two-stop bucket-list itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions: Dolphins–Patriots

The two teams first met in 1966. A six-decade AFC East divisional series between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots that has swung sharply between two long eras of dominance. The Dolphins ran the early decades; the Patriots seized control in the 2000s, yet Miami still holds the all-time lead.

Every meeting carries divisional weight in the AFC East, where head-to-head results and tiebreakers can decide playoff seeding. The geographic contrast sharpens it: sun-soaked South Florida against New England's cold-weather culture, with two passionate fan bases who circle these dates. For Miami, beating the Patriots has long meant proving the gap has closed; for New England, it means defending a division it dominated for two decades.

Yes — they meet 2 times in the 2026 NFL season. The game pages, each with a fan-travel guide, are linked on this page.

Miami Dolphins host at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami; New England Patriots play at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Sources

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