2023-24 Important Dolphins and NFL Dates
The NFL schedule has been out for more than a month, but the league released Tuesday its complete rundown of key dates for 2023-2024.
Here's the rundown of the official 2023-24 NFL calendar Miami Dolphins items of notes indicated.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IMPORTANT DATES
Dates Subject to change
JULY 2023
July 17 — At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a oneyear contract with his prior club for the 2023 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.
Mid-July — Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies (defined as a player who has never signed a player contract with an NFL club in a prior League Year) beginning seven days prior to the club’s earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players. A club’s preseason training camp will be deemed to have officially opened on the designated reporting date for all rookies.
-- Clubs may require first-year players (defined as a player who signed a player contract with any NFL club in a prior League Year, but who does not have a pension-credited season) to report on the designated reporting date for all rookies, or at any time thereafter, including, but not limited to, the designated reporting date for veteran quarterbacks and injured players, or the designated reporting date for all other veteran players.
-- Veteran quarterbacks and “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies.
Mid-July — Beginning on the date that the first training camp opens for rookies through the last business day prior to the Super Bowl, all tryouts and visits will be reported to clubs on the Personnel Notice.
July 18 — Dolphins rookies report for training camp at the Baptist Health Training Complex.
July 24 — At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.
-- At 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 24 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp [July 19 in 2023], whichever is later) signing Period ends for Unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “UFA Tender” was made by Prior Club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, Prior Club has exclusive negotiating rights.
July 25 — Dolphins veterans report for training camp at the Baptist Health Training Complex.
July 30 — Dolphins practice open to public, Baptist Health Training Complex, 10:30 a.m.
July 31 — Dolphins practice open to public, Baptist Health Training Complex, 10:30 a.m.
AUGUST 2023
August 1 — Dolphins practice open to public, Baptist Health Training Complex, 10:30 a.m.
August 3 — Hall of Fame Game, New York Jets vs. Cleveland Browns, Canton, Ohio.
-- Dolphins practice open to public, Baptist Health Training Complex, 10:30 a.m.
August 5 — Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, including former Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas, Canton, Ohio.
-- Dolphins team scrimmage, Hard Rock Stadium, 11 a.m.
August 8 — If a drafted rookie has not signed with his club by this date, he cannot be traded to any other club in 2023 and may sign a player contract only with the drafting club until the day of the Draft in the 2024 League Year.
August 8-9 — Falcons-Dolphins joint practices, Miami Gardens, Fla., 10 a.m.
August 10-13 — First Preseason Weekend.
August 11 — Preseason game, Atlanta at Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET.
August 16-17 — Dolphins-Texans joint practices, Houston, Texas.
August 17-21 — Second Preseason Weekend.
August 19 — Preseason game, Dolphins at Houston, 4 p.m. ET.
August 23 — Dolphins practice open to public, Baptist Health Training Complex, 10:30 a.m.
August 24 — Dolphins practice open to public, Baptist Health Training Complex, 10:30 a.m.
August 24-27 — Third Preseason Weekend.
August 26 — Preseason game, Dolphins at Jacksonville, 7 p.m. ET.
August. 29 — Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the Active/Inactive List. Editor's Note: After a rule change, rosters will go from a maximum of 90 to the 53-player limit in one day this year.
-- Simultaneously with the roster reduction to 53 players, clubs that have players in the categories of Active/Physically Unable to Perform or Active/Non-Football Injury or Illness must select one of the following options: place player on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform or Reserve/NonFootball Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; terminate or request waivers with the designation of Failed Physical or Non- Football Injury or Illness, whichever is applicable; request waivers; terminate contract; trade contract; or continue to count the player on the Active List. Players who are on the Reserve List or Exempt List and are not counting against the 90-player limit will begin to count against the 90-player limit.
August 30 — Claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction will expire at 12:00 noon, New York time.
-- Upon receipt of the subsequent Personnel Notice, clubs may establish a Practice Squad of 16 players. Clubs participating in the International Player Development Program may sign one additional international player to a practice player contract. No club, including the player’s prior club, will be permitted to sign a player to a practice player contract until all clubs have received simultaneous notification via the above Personnel Notice that such player’s prior NFL player contract has been terminated via the waiver system.
-- Beginning at 4:00 p.m., New York time, any player placed on Reserve/Injured, Reserve/NonFootball Injury or Illness, or Practice Squad; Injured during the regular season or postseason, may be designated for return later in the season, subject to the applicable procedures.
SEPTEMBER 2023
September 3 — Final day of preseason training camp for all clubs, as defined in CBA Article 23, Section 10.
September 4-9 — In accordance with the Personnel (Injury) Report Policy, each club is required to file a Practice Report with the NFL Communications department by 4:00 p.m., New York time, (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for a regular season Monday game; Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for a Thursday game; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Friday game; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for a Saturday game; and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for a Sunday game.
-- Each club must also file a weekly regular season Game Status Report with the NFL Communications department by 4:00 p.m., New York time (or as soon as possible after the completion of practice) on Wednesday for a Thursday game, Thursday for a Friday or Saturday game, Friday for a Sunday game, and Saturday for a Monday game. An update must be reported if there is any change in a player's condition after the initial Game Status Report is filed.
September 7, 10-11 — Kickoff Weekend.
September 10 — Dolphins at L.A. Chargers, 4:25 p.m. ET.
September 17 — Sunday Night Football, Dolphins at New England, 8:20 p.m. ET.
September 24 — Denver at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET.
September 29, October 2-3 — Beginning on the day after a club’s fourth regular season game (including any bye week), it is permitted to begin practicing players on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform and Reserve/Non-Football Injury or Illness (if the player failed his preseason physical due to a nonfootball injury or illness) for a period not to exceed 21 days. Players may be activated during the 21-day practice period, or prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the day after the conclusion of the 21-day period.
OCTOBER 2023
October 1 — Dolphins at Buffalo, 1 p.m. ET.
-- NFL International Game at Wembley Stadium (London, United Kingdom) Atlanta Falcons vs. Jacksonville Jaguars.
October 8 — N.Y. Giants at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET.
-- NFL International Game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, United Kingdom) Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills.
October 15 — Carolina at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET.
-- NFL International Game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, United Kingdom) Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans.
October 17-18 — Fall League Meeting, New York, New York.
October 22 — Sunday Night Football, Dolphins at Philadelphia, 8:20 p.m. ET.
October 29 — New England at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET.
October 31 — All trading ends for 2023 at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
NOVEMBER 2023
November 1 — Players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons are subject to the waiver system for the remainder of the regular season and postseason.
November 5 — NFL International Game at Frankfurt Stadium (Frankfurt, Germany) Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 9:30 a.m. ET.
November 12 — Dolphins bye
-- NFL International Game at Frankfurt Stadium (Frankfurt, Germany) Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots.
November 14 — At 4:00 p.m., New York time, signing period ends for Franchise Players who are eligible to receive offer sheets.
-- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unsigned Franchise and Transition Players, including Franchise Players who were eligible to receive offer sheets until this date. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2023.
-- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to sign their unrestricted free agents to whom the “UFA Tender” was made. If still unsigned after this date, such players are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2023.
-- Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for Clubs to sign their restricted free agents, including those to whom the “June 1 Tender” was made. If such players remain unsigned after this date, they are prohibited from playing in NFL in 2023.
November 19 — Las Vegas at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET.
November 24 — Black Friday Game, Dolphins at N.Y. Jets, 3 p.m. ET.
DECEMBER 2023
December 3 — Dolphins at Washington, 1 p.m. ET.
December 11 — Monday Night Football, Tennessee at Dolphins, 8:15 p.m. ET.
December 12-13 — Special League Meeting/Front Office Accelerator, Irving, Texas.
December 17 — N.Y. Jets at Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET.
December 24 — Dallas at Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET.
December 31 — Dolphins at Baltimore, 1 p.m. ET.
JANUARY 2024
January 6-7 — Buffalo at Dolphins, TBD
January 8 — Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2024 season.
-- Earliest permissible date for clubs to renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in any round of the 2021 NFL Draft or any undrafted rookie who signed in 2022. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract, and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts.
-- Clubs may exercise fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. For the Dolphins, that would be WR Jaylen Waddle and LB Jaelan Phillips.
January 10 — Beginning at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Wednesday following the final regular season weekend, rosters are frozen for clubs participating in the postseason with limited exceptions.
January 13-15 — Wild Card Playoff Games.
January 15 — Special Eligibility Deadline. Deadline for college players who are underclassmen to apply for Special Eligibility. A list of underclassmen who have been approved for entry into the 2024 NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 19.
January 20-21 — Divisional Playoff Games.
January 28 — AFC and NFC Championship Games.
FEBRUARY 2024
February 4 — Pro Bowl Games.
February 11 — Super Bowl LVIII, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada.
February 20 — Beginning this date through 4:00 p.m., New York time on March 5, clubs may designate Franchise or Transition Players.
February 27-March 4 — NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.
MARCH 2024
March 5 — Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 11-13 — During the period beginning at 12:00 noon, New York time, on March 11 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents upon the expiration of their 2023 player contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 13.
-- During the above two-day negotiating period, a prospective UFA who is not represented by an NFLPA Certified Contract Advisor (“Unrepresented Player”) is permitted to communicate directly with a new club’s front office officials (excluding the head coach and other members of the club’s coaching staff) regarding contract negotiations. The club is responsible for confirming the player’s status as an Unrepresented Player.
-- No prospective unrestricted free agent is permitted to execute a contract with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 13.
March 13 — The 2024 League Year and Free Agency signing period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
-- Trading period for 2024 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2023 contracts.
-- The first day of the 2024 League Year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13. Clubs will receive a Personnel Notice that will include all transactions submitted to the League office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 13.
March 24-27 — Annual League Meeting, Orlando, Florida.
APRIL 2024
April 1 — Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2023 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.
April 15 — Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs
April 17 — Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview or conduct a physical examination with a drafteligible player at its club facility.
April 18 — Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 24 — Deadline for prior club to exercise Right of First Refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets.
-- Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct a physical examination with a draft-eligible player at any location.
April 25-27 — NFL Draft, Detroit, Michigan.
MAY 2024
May 2 — Deadline for Clubs to exercise Fifth-Year Option for players selected in the first round of the 2021 Draft.
May 3-6 or May 10-13 — Clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-Draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday on one of the two weekends following the Draft. The Dolphins have selected the second weekend after the draft the past two years.
May 13 — Rookie Football Development Programs begin
May 20-22 — Spring League Meeting/Coach Accelerator, Nashville, Tennessee.
