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. However, this notion would change in the early 2000s when the Patriots becoming 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, only posting a few winning seasons, while the Patriots dominated the AFC East.[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]
2023 deadly fan altercation
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]
Season-by-season results
Miami Dolphins vs. Boston/New England Patriots Season-by-Season Results[1]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Area scout, 2000–2002 National scout/assistant director of college scouting, 2003–2007 Director of college scouting, 2007–2015 General manager, 2016–present
