All Dolphins

2025 Opponent List Now Almost Complete

The Miami Dolphins are now down to one undetermined opponent for next season

Alain Poupart

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) shake hands after the game at SoFi Stadium in 2022.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) shake hands after the game at SoFi Stadium in 2022. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The results of the Saturday games not only provided more clarity for the Miami Dolphins in terms of their playoff situation, they also determined one more opponent for next season.

With the Los Angeles Chargers defeating the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos losing in overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium, the Chargers became the final AFC opponent on the Dolphins' 2025 schedule.

The victory clinched second place in the AFC West for Jim Harbaugh's team and that will send them to Miami to face the Dolphins, who are locked into second place in the AFC East this season.

This sets up a fourth career meeting between fellow 2020 draft quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert following games in the 2020, 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Dolphins are 2-1 in those games, the victories coming in 2020 and 2023.

When the Houston Texans defeated the Dolphins in Week 15 to clinch the AFC South, it also ensured the Indianapolis Colts would be another 2025 Miami opponent based on their second-place finish.

The one 2025 Dolphins opponent that remains undetermined is the one for the so-called 17th game, and it's set to be the team from the NFC East that finishes in the same spot in the division standing coming to Miami. That team will be the Washington Commanders unless they win their final two games and the Philadelphia Eagles lose their final two, in which case Washington would win the NFC East and the Eagles would become that final Dolphins opponent.

Based on the NFL's rotation formula, we already knew 14 of the Dolphins' 17 opponents (technically 11 of 14 opponents because they face the Bills, Jets and Patriots twice), and the three remaining opponents to determine are those that will finish in the same place in their division standings in the AFC South, AFC West and NFC East.

2025 Home Opponents

Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, L.A. Chargers, NFCE (currently Washington)

2025 Away Opponents

Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Indianapolis Colts

Let's also remind everyone that the Dolphins will be playing an international game next season, most likely in Spain or Brazil.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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