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The Miami Dolphins will be looking to restart an opening-day winning streak when they face the Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.
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The Dolphins had won four openers in a row before they were humbled by the Indianapolis Colts, 33-8, at Lucas Oil Stadium last year. The Dolphins will be facing the Raiders on opening day for the third time, but the first time as the Las Vegas Raiders. The Dolphins lost the previous two opening matchups, including the very first game in franchise history and a Monday night game in 1975 – both at the Orange Bowl.
Overall, the Dolphins have a 33-26-1 record in openers, and along the way there have been some memorable games. Here’s our countdown of the top 10, based on excitement level, overall significance and uniqueness of the contests, along with our bottom 10 list that needs to include that poor performance at Indy last year.
COUNTING DOWN THE TOP 10 DOLPHINS SEASON OPENERS
10 – 1995: Miami 52, N.Y. Jets 14
This wasn’t a particularly exciting game, but beating the Jets by 38 points deserves recognition. The Dolphins took advantage of six Jets turnovers.
9 – 2014: Miami 33, New England 20
The second half of that opener, when the Dolphins outscored the Patriots 23-0, might have been the team’s finest half of the millennium (given the competition). Newcomer Knowshon Moreno set the tone with 134 rushing yards, while Cameron Wake had two sacks and two forced fumbles.
8 – 1972: Miami 20, Kansas City 10
This was the much-anticipated rematch of the 1971 Christmas Day classic, as well as the first game at Arrowhead Stadium, and the Dolphins dominated to start their march to a perfect season. The Dolphins took advantage of four turnovers to build a 20-0 lead on a day when Larry Csonka rushed for 118 yards.
7 – 1984: Miami 35, Washington 17
This masterful performance by Dan Marino served as an opening act to his record-setting 1984 season. Marino threw five touchdown passes to help the Dolphins dominate a Washington team coming off two consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
6 – 1992: Miami 27, Cleveland 23
This actually was a Week 2 game, but it became the Dolphins opener after the original opener against New England was postponed because of Hurricane Andrew. The Dolphins won on a late Mark Higgs touchdown after future Miami backup Bernie Kosar had brought the Browns back from a 20-3 fourth-quarter deficit to take a 23-20 lead.
5 – 1999: Miami 38, Denver 21
The Dolphins opened the 1999 season with a Monday night road game against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, though it was Denver’s first game without John Elway. Future Dolphins backup Brian Griese actually had a good game for Denver, but the Dolphins played a clean game and got a Jason Taylor fumble return for a touchdown as an exclamation point.
4 – 2001: Miami 31, Tennessee 23
The Dolphins had a tough opening assignment on the road for a Sunday night game, but pulled off an impressive victory thanks to Lamar Smith’s 65-yard touchdown reception and Hall of Famer Zach Thomas’ famous pick-six punctuated by his forward flip into the end zone.
3 – 2018: Miami 27, Tennessee 20
This game forever will be remembered for the two lengthy lightning delays that made it the longest game in NFL history, clocking at a ridiculous 7 hours, 8 minutes. But it also was a game filled with big plays – in the fourth quarter alone, the Dolphins got a 102-yard kickoff return by Jakeem Grant and a 75-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills, and the Titans got a 94-yard kickoff return by Darius Jennings.
2 – 2023: Miami 36, LA. Chargers 34
The Dolphins passing game was absolutely unstoppable in this back-and-forth affair at SoFi Stadium. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill capped off a huge day for both with a 4-yard game-winning touchdown pass for the eighth and final lead change of the game before the defense, after struggling most of the day, made a late stand.
1 – 1994: Miami 39, New England 35
Maybe the most memorable Dan Marino moment in a career filled with them. In his first regular season game since he had torn his Achilles tendon the previous October, Marino outdueled Drew Bledsoe in a dazzling display of passing. Three of Marino’s five touchdown passes on the day went to Irving Fryar, including the game-winning 35-yard hook-up on a fourth-and-5.
RANKING THE 10 WORST DOLPHINS SEASON OPENERS
1. 2003: Houston 21, Miami 20 – The Dolphins had a streak of 11 consecutive opening-day wins end against the second-year Texans after a late Jay Fiedler interception. This shocking loss became even more painful when the Dolphins missed out on the playoffs by losing a tiebreaker with Denver for the final spot.
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2. 2019: Baltimore 59, Miami 10 – In terms of performance, yeah, nothing was worse than this one, though in retrospect maybe it should have been obvious with all the roster changes right before the opener that the Dolphins just weren’t ready to compete at the start of Brian Flores’ coaching tenure.
3. 2025: Indianapolis 33, Miami 8 – Mike McDaniel’s fourth year as Dolphins head coach got off to a brutal start when the Dolphins were humbled in a game where the defense couldn’t stop Daniel Jones and Tua Tagovailoa’s early interception set a bad tone.
4. 1988: Chicago 34, Miami 7 – This game would kick off one of Don Shula’s only two losing seasons during his 26-year tenure as Dolphins head coach, and the number that jumps out here is the 262 rushing yards the Bears amassed.
5. 1986: San Diego 50, Miami 28 – This game would become a microcosm of the 1986 season, with Dan Marino putting up big numbers but the defense simply unable to stop opponents. The Dolphins gave up 500 yards of offense to the Chargers and lost four fumbles, not a recipe for success.
6. 2004: Tennessee 17, Miami 7 – This game felt out of whack from start to finish. For starters, it was moved to a Saturday afternoon because of the threat of Hurricane Jeanne. And then head coach Dave Wannstedt made the odd decision to bench quarterback Jay Fiedler, who had won a camp competition with trade acquisition A.J. Feeley, at halftime despite the Dolphins being down only 7-0 (down Fiedler had performed poorly). Feeley didn’t do much better and threw a pick-six.
7. 2012: Houston 30, Miami 10 – This was another first game for a new head coach, this time Joe Philbin. What stood out in that game was perhaps the most brutal second quarter in franchise history, with the Dolphins turning the ball over on four straight possessions and the Texans turning those into three touchdowns and a field goal.
8. 1989: Buffalo 27, Miami 24 – This was a good performance, but it belongs on this list for the heartbreaking finish. The Dolphins were a play away from a victory against the soon-to-be-powerhouse Bills, but Jim Kelly stole the game with a 2-yard touchdown on a quarteback draw.
9. 2006: Pittsburgh 28, Miami 17 – Remember 2006 when the Dolphins were considered among the Super Bowl favorites? Well, they were leading the defending champion Steelers in the second half when everything crumbled thanks to an 87-yard touchdown pass to tight end Heath Miller followed by a pick-six by future Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter.
10. 2011: New England 38, Miami 24 – If you like offense, this one was fun. But it wasn’t fun by head coach Tony Sparano to watch his defense give up 517 yards, including a 99-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to former Dolphins slot receiver Wes Welker.
MIAMI DOLPHINS SEASON OPENER RESULTS
1966 – Oakland 23, at Miami 14
1967 – at Miami 35, Denver 21
1968 – at Houston 24, Miami 10
1969 – at Cincinnati 27, Miami 21
1970 – at Boston 27, Miami 14
1971 – Miami 10, at Denver 10
1972 – Miami 20, at Kansas City 10
1973 – at Miami 21, San Francisco 13
1974 – at New England 34, Miami 24
1975 – Oakland 31, at Miami 21
1976 – Miami 30, at Buffalo 21
1977 – Miami 13, at Buffalo 0
1978 – at N.Y. Jets 33, Miami 20
1979 – Miami 9, at Buffalo 7
1980 – at Buffalo 17, Miami 7
1981 – Miami 20, at St. Louis 7
1982 – Miami 45, at N.Y. Jets 28
1983 – Miami 12, at Buffalo 0
1984 – Miami 35, at Washington 17
1985 – at Houston 26, Miami 23
1986 – at San Diego 50, Miami 28
1987 – at New England 28, Miami 21
1988 – at Chicago 34, Miami 7
1989 – Buffalo 27, at Miami 24
1990 – Miami 27, at New England 24
1991 – at Buffalo 35, Miami 31
1992 – Miami 27, at Cleveland 23*
1993 – Miami 24, at Indianapolis 20
1994 – at Miami 39, New England 35
1995 – at Miami 52, N.Y. Jets 14
1996 – at Miami 24, New England 10
1997 – at Miami 16, Indianapolis 10
1998 – Miami 24, at Indianapolis 15
1999 – Miami 38, at Denver 21
2000 – at Miami 23, Seattle 0
2001 – Miami 31, at Tennessee 23
2002 – at Miami 49, Detroit 21
2003 – Houston 21, at Miami 20
2004 – Tennessee 17, at Miami 7
2005 – at Miami 34, Denver 10
2006 – at Pittsburgh 28, Miami 17
2007 – at Washington 16, Miami 13 (OT)
2008 – N.Y. Jets 20, at Miami 14
2009 – at Atlanta 19, Miami 7
2010 – Miami 15, at Buffalo 10
2011 – New England 38, at Miami 24
2012 – at Houston 30, Miami 10
2013 – Miami 23, at Cleveland 10
2014 – Miami 33, at New England 20
2015 – Miami 17, at Washington 10
2016 – at Seattle 12, Miami 10
2017 – Miami 19, at L.A. Chargers 17*
2018 – at Miami 27, Tennessee 20
2019 – Baltimore 59, at Miami 10
2020 – at New England 21, Miami 11
2021 – Miami 17, at New England 16
2022 – at Miami 20, New England 7
2023 – Miami 36, at L.A. Chargers 34
2024 – at Miami 20, Jacksonville 17
2025 – at Indianapolis 33, Miami 8
*-indicates a Week 2 game after the opener was postponed
MIAMI DOLPHINS OPENER RECORDS
Overall record: 33-26-1
Home record: 13-9
Away record: 20-17-1
Games decided by seven points or less: 13-9-1
Victories by 20 points or more: 4
Longest winning streak: 11 (1992-2002)
Longest losing streak: 5 (1985-89)
Against AFC teams: 27-22-1
Against NFC teams: 6-4
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This story was originally published September 9, 2026 at 6:38 AM.