MIAMI GARDENS -- The Miami Dolphins' 2025 regular season schedule was released Wednesday, revealing another season in the spotlight for Mike McDaniel, Tua Tagovailoa and company.
The nation's eyes will be on the Dolphins as they try to prove missing the playoffs last season was an anomaly. They'll play five prime-time games in 2025, and another nationally televised international game in Madrid against the NFC runner-up Washington Commanders.
Tagovailoa returns to an offense that experienced a steep decline in 2024 and hopes to stay healthy after missing a career-high six games.
General manager Chris Grier made it a point to build a more physical team this offseason, led by rookie first-round pick Kenneth Grant on the defensive line and second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea on the offensive line.
With one of the easier schedules in the league in terms of 2024 win percentage, Miami will seek to end the Buffalo Bills' five-year run as AFC East champions.
Here's what's in store for the Dolphins:
Dolphins 2025 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 7 at Indianapolis Colts
Week 2: Sept. 14 vs. New England Patriots
Week 3: Sept. 18 at Buffalo Bills (TNF)
Week 4: Sept. 29 vs. New York Jets (MNF)
Week 5: Oct. 5 at Carolina Panthers
Week 6: Oct. 12 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 7: Oct. 19 at Cleveland Browns
Week 8: Oct. 26 at Atlanta Falcons
Week 9: Oct. 30 vs. Baltimore Ravens (TNF)
Week 10: Nov. 9 vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 11: Nov. 16 vs. Washington Commanders (Madrid)
Week 12: BYE
Week 13: Nov. 30 vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 14: Dec. 7 at New York Jets
Week 15: Dec. 15 at Pittsburgh Steelers (MNF)
Week 16: Dec. 21 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (SNF)
Week 17: Dec. 28 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 18: Jan. 3 or 4 at New England Patriots
Strength of schedule: The Dolphins are tied for the 11th-easiest schedule in the league (opponents had a 0.474 winning percentage in 2024).
Over/Under: 8.5 wins
Biggest takeaway
The Dolphins have an opportunity to start hot in the first two months of the season, with six of their first eight games coming against teams that did not make the playoffs in 2024. Granted, neither did the Dolphins, but if they want to prove last season was an outlier, they could build confidence and momentum with their early-season slate. A potential problem: Five of those first eight games are on the road.
Circle this date
Of course, it's the international game against the Commanders on Nov. 16. Not only is it historic, being the NFL's first game in Spain, but it's a matchup against a team that made the NFC Championship Game last season and a quarterback in Jayden Daniels who appears to be on a track to superstardom.
Key stretch
Week 9 to Week 11. Miami plays the Ravens on Thursday Night Football, hosts the Bills 10 days later and then travels to Madrid to face the Commanders. The Dolphins probably will be underdogs in all three games, as they've struggled to beat winning teams over the past three years. Winning all three games is a tough ask, but avoiding three straight losses here would be a positive sign for this team's development.
Bold prediction
The Dolphins will finish with a winning record on the road for the first time since 2020. Under McDaniel, Miami owns a 10-16 road record -- but look at its opponents away from South Florida this season: Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Cleveland and Carolina are winnable games, as are at least two of the Dolphins' division games on the road. This is the year McDaniel's team turns things around away from home.
Will the Dolphins be able to avoid their late-season struggles?
Miami is 7-10 since 2022 in regular-season games played in December and January. With three road games and two prime-time matchups against the Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Buccaneers and Patriots to close out the season, the Dolphins will face adversity as they look to right the ship in late-season contests.