The Seattle Seahawks’ win over the San Francisco 49ers in the final week of the regular season simplified the formula to determine the one remaining opponent for the Miami Dolphins’ 2026 schedule. The Los Angeles Rams’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s late afternoon games means the Dolphins will visit the 49ers next season.
This outcome is due to the shift in the third-place finisher in the NFC West, with the Dolphins, as the AFC East’s No. 3 team, set to play that team on the road.
### Miami’s 2026 Opponents Overview
Miami is already scheduled to face their three divisional opponents—the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets—both home and away. Additionally, the Dolphins will host the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears at Hard Rock Stadium.
On the road, Miami will travel to face the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and, as noted, the San Francisco 49ers.
The NFL will release the full 2026 week-by-week schedule later this year.
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### Notes on Each Non-Division Game Next Season
**Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium**
Patrick Mahomes has played two games at Hard Rock Stadium, both six years ago. The first was in February 2020 during his first Super Bowl against the 49ers. The second, in December, was his only game against the Dolphins in South Florida. In that matchup, the AFC champion led 30-10 in the fourth quarter before easing off, eventually winning 33-27. The Dolphins have a five-game losing streak against the Chiefs and haven’t beaten them in Miami Gardens in 20 years.
**Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium**
Justin Herbert, selected sixth overall in the 2020 draft following Miami’s selection of Tua Tagovailoa, has averaged 26.8 points per game in his four career matchups against the Dolphins, including 29 points in a key game earlier this season. The Dolphins have scored an average of 27.3 points in those contests.
**Chicago Bears at Hard Rock Stadium**
Former Dolphins assistant Ben Johnson makes his first return to Hard Rock Stadium since working with Miami from 2012-18. The Dolphins initially took a 4-0 lead in the all-time series, highlighted by a legendary Monday Night Football victory over the then-undefeated Bears in 1985. However, the Bears won four of the next seven meetings. Miami currently holds a three-game winning streak.
**Detroit Lions at Hard Rock Stadium**
Another former Dolphins assistant and interim head coach returns to Miami Gardens for the first time since completing his six-year tenure in 2015. The Dolphins last defeated the Lions at home in a 49-21 season opener in 2002, which was also Ricky Williams’ Dolphins debut.
**Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium**
Joe Burrow will look to improve to 3-0 all-time against Miami, averaging 36 points per game in his matchups with the Dolphins.
**Denver Broncos at Empower Field***
Broncos head coach Sean Payton will have awaited this game for three years. His Broncos were famously dismantled for 70 points in Miami Gardens in 2023, the most recent meeting between these teams.
**Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium***
One of the rare series swings in the Dolphins’ favor since Don Shula’s departure in 1995. Miami trailed Oakland/Los Angeles 6-16-1 heading into the 1996 season but has dominated the past 20 years (15-5), evening the series at 21-21-1.
**Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field***
The Dolphins boasted an 8-0 record against Green Bay when Jimmy Johnson took over for Don Shula in 1996. Since then, Packers quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers—both Hall of Famers—have led Green Bay to seven wins in nine meetings.
**Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium***
Miami has played just one Brian Flores-defended game since his departure after 2021—a 16-10 Dolphins win in 2022, notably marked by four dropped Tua Tagovailoa passes by the Steelers.
**Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium***
Before their decline, the Colts arguably had their best performance of the season in the opener against Miami, a commanding 33-8 victory in Indiana.
**San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California***
One of the last moments the Dolphins felt a turnaround was a first-play 75-yard touchdown from Tua Tagovailoa to Trent Sherfield during their last trip to Santa Clara. However, the 49ers rebounded to rout Miami, who entered the game 8-3. Miami finished 9-8 and squeaked into the playoffs, where they lost to Buffalo 34-31.
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*Note: An asterisk (*) denotes a possibility that the game may be played internationally.*
Stay tuned for the official 2026 NFL schedule release later this year for more details.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/01/04/miami-dolphins-opponents-for-the-2026-season/