2019 Miami Dolphins season

The 2019 season was the Miami Dolphins' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 54th overall and their first under new head coach Brian Flores.

2019 Miami Dolphins season
OwnerStephen M. Ross
Head coachBrian Flores
General managerChris Grier
Home fieldHard Rock Stadium
Results
Record5–11
Division place4th AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone
AP All-ProsNone
Uniform

Early in the season, the Dolphins were believed by many people to be losing games on purpose in hopes of getting a better draft position, most notably for Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whom at the time, was considered possibly the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, before suffering a season-ending hip injury on November 16, 2019.[1][2] Through Week 8, the Dolphins traded key contributors including recent first round picks Laremy Tunsil[3] and Minkah Fitzpatrick,[4] along with Kenyan Drake, and Ryan Tannehill.[5]

It was the Dolphins' first season since 2011 without Ryan Tannehill, as he was traded to the Tennessee Titans during the offseason. After Tannehill was traded, the Dolphins would go on to sign journeyman quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and trade for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen. As he outplayed Rosen during training camp, Fitzpatrick started the majority of the season, with Rosen starting from Weeks 3 to 6.[6] On December 22, Fitzpatrick became the first Dolphins quarterback since Dan Marino to pass for 400 yards and 4 touchdowns. Despite defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13, the Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention for the third consecutive year after the Pittsburgh Steelers won that same day.

It was also the Dolphins' first season since 2004 without long-time snapper John Denney, as he was released on September 2, 2019. Denney was the longest tenured player on the Dolphins roster prior to his release, having been with the team since 2005. It made 5th-year wide receiver DeVante Parker the new longest-tenured player on the roster.

They also failed to improve their 7–9 record from the previous season after losing to the New York Jets in Week 14. A Week 17 win over the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots not only gave the Dolphins their first win in Gillette Stadium since 2008, but also denied the New England dynasty a playoff bye week for the first time in 10 years.

The team started the season 0–7, with some believing they would possibly become the 3rd 0-16 team in the NFL, but rallied to win 5 of their last 9, going 5-4 after a winless start.

This was their first season with exactly 5 wins since 1968 and their first since the league expanded to 16 games in 1978. It was also the Dolphins’ first season winning fewer than 6 games since their franchise-worst 2007 season.

Offseason coaching change

The Dolphins fired head coach Adam Gase on December 31, 2018, after the team missed the playoffs for a second-straight season and finished 2018 with a 7–9 record.[7] The Dolphins conducted multiple interviews, but were linked to New England Patriots linebackers coach, defensive play caller, and long-time Patriots assistant Brian Flores but had to wait to hire him until after the Patriots were out of the NFL playoffs due to league rules. Flores served in multiple positions with the Patriots since their 2004 Super Bowl-winning season, most recently serving as the Linebackers' coach from 2016-2018. On February 4, 2019, the day after Super Bowl LIII, the team announced Flores as their thirteenth head coach.[8] The Dolphins announced the majority of Flores' coaching staff on February 8, 2019, including Chad O'Shea as offensive coordinator, Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator, Danny Crossman as special teams coordinator, and former Indianapolis Colts/Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.[9] On July 29, 2019, just four days into Dolphins camp, Flores sent a quick message by firing the OL Coach Pat Flaherty that he had hired in the spring and replacing him with team analyst Dave DeGuglielmo. Flores had deemed Flaherty to be ineffective in implementing the team’s new system.[10]

Draft
Main article: 2019 NFL Draft
2019 Miami Dolphins Draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollege
113 Christian WilkinsDEClemson
2Traded to the Arizona Cardinals
378 Michael DeiterGWisconsin
4Traded to the New Orleans Saints
5151 Andrew Van GinkelLBWisconsin
6202 Isaiah PrinceOTOhio State
7233 Chandler CoxFBAuburn
234 Myles GaskinRBWashington

Draft Trades

Staff
2019 Miami Dolphins staff
Front office
  • Chairman/Managing General Partner – Stephen Ross
  • Vice Chairman/Partner – Bruce Beal
  • Vice Chairman – Jorge Perez
  • Vice Chairman – Don Shula
  • Vice Chairman – Matt Higgins
  • Vice Chairman, President, and CEO – Tom Garfinkel
  • General Manager – Chris Grier
  • Assistant General Manager – Marvin Allen
  • Vice President, Football Administration – Brandon Shore
  • Senior Personnel Executive – Reggie McKenzie
  • Co-Director, Player Personnel – Adam Engroff
  • Co-Director, Player Personnel – Anthony Hunt

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

  • Special Teams Coordinator – Danny Crossman
  • Assistant Special Teams – Brendan Farrell

Quality Control Coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head Strength and Conditioning – Dave Puloka
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Jim Arthur

Final roster
2019 Miami Dolphins final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
 53 active, 21 inactive, 11 practice squad

Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 August 8 Atlanta Falcons W 34–27 1–0 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
2 August 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 14–16 1–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
3 August 22 Jacksonville Jaguars W 22–7 2–1 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
4 August 29 at New Orleans Saints W 16–13 3–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap

Regular season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue NFL.com
recap
1 September 8 Baltimore Ravens L 10–59 0–1 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
2 September 15 New England Patriots L 0–43 0–2 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
3 September 22 at Dallas Cowboys L 6–31 0–3 AT&T Stadium Recap
4 September 29 Los Angeles Chargers L 10–30 0–4 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
5 Bye
6 October 13 Washington Redskins L 16–17 0–5 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
7 October 20 at Buffalo Bills L 21–31 0–6 New Era Field Recap
8 October 28 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 14–27 0–7 Heinz Field Recap
9 November 3 New York Jets W 26–18 1–7 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
10 November 10 at Indianapolis Colts W 16–12 2–7 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
11 November 17 Buffalo Bills L 20–37 2–8 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
12 November 24 at Cleveland Browns L 24–41 2–9 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
13 December 1 Philadelphia Eagles W 37–31 3–9 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
14 December 8 at New York Jets L 21–22 3–10 MetLife Stadium Recap
15 December 15 at New York Giants L 20–36 3–11 MetLife Stadium Recap
16 December 22 Cincinnati Bengals W 38–35 (OT) 4–11 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
17 December 29 at New England Patriots W 27–24 5–11 Gillette Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week One: Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Ravens 21 21 10759
Dolphins 0 10 0010

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

The Dolphins gave up 49 yards on the first play from scrimmage and 643 on the game, the most yards any Dolphins team had surrendered in a single game in franchise history. This was also the franchise's worst loss since a 62-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1999 AFC Divisional Round.[12]

Week 2: vs. New England Patriots
Week Two: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Patriots 7 6 102043
Dolphins 0 0 000

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys
Week Three: Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 3 3 006
Cowboys 10 0 14731

at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Game information

Quarterback Josh Rosen, acquired via trade prior to the season, made his first start as a Dolphin in place of Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins were seeking their first win over Dallas since 2003, and entered the game as 22-point underdogs. They showed some competitiveness by narrowing Dallas' lead to 10–6, but afterwards, the Dolphins proved they were no match against the Cowboys, and scored the final 21 points of the game. With this loss, the Dolphins dropped to 0–3.

Week 4: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week Four: Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Chargers 10 7 31030
Dolphins 7 3 0010

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

This was the first time the Dolphins had lost at home to the Chargers since the 1982 Epic in Miami game, when the Chargers were still based in San Diego.

Week 6: vs. Washington Redskins
Week Six: Washington Redskins at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Redskins 0 7 10017
Dolphins 0 3 01316

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

Josh Rosen was benched in the third quarter after an ineffective performance, throwing for just 85 yards and 2 interceptions on 25 passing attempts. Though the Redskins took an early 17–3 lead under a strong performance from running back Adrian Peterson, the Dolphins cut the deficit once Ryan Fitzpatrick took over at quarterback as he led Miami to two fourth quarter touchdowns. However, the Dolphins attempted a two-point conversion after their second touchdown and failed, sealing a 17–16 loss. This game was dubbed by many as the "Tank Bowl", this was the first time since 2004 that two winless teams met in week 6 or later. Miami dropped to 0–5 for the first time since 2011.[13][14]

Week 7: at Buffalo Bills
Week Seven: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 14 0721
Bills 6 3 02231

at New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York

  • Date: October 20
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: Mostly sunny, 65 °F (18 °C)
  • Game attendance: 68,340
  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Ryan Fitzpatrick returned to the starting lineup against divisional rival Buffalo, whom he played for from 2009 to 2012. He had a strong second-quarter performance, which led to Miami holding only its second lead over an opponent during the season with a 14–9 halftime advantage, but the Bills rallied after CB Tre'Davious White intercepted Fitzpatrick in the third quarter, scoring 22 points in the fourth quarter. With the 31–21 loss, Miami fell to 0–6.[15]

Week 8: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Eight: Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 14 0 0014
Steelers 0 10 71027

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

The Ryan Fitzpatrick-led Dolphins offense came out with a surprising 14–0 lead in the first quarter, but the Steelers scored 27 unanswered points to win behind strong performances from quarterback Mason Rudolph, running back James Conner and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Former Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who had been traded to the Steelers several weeks earlier, intercepted the Dolphins twice during the game. With the loss, Miami continued its winless streak to fall to 0–7.[16]

Week 9: vs. New York Jets
Week Nine: New York Jets at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Jets 7 5 3318
Dolphins 0 21 3226

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

In Jets head coach Adam Gase's first return to Miami since being fired from the Dolphins the season prior, the Dolphins came out and won their first game of the season behind 3 touchdown passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick and sloppy play from the Jets. The win was costly, however, as the Dolphins lost leading receiver Preston Williams for the season with a torn ACL during the game.[17]

Week 10: at Indianapolis Colts
Week Ten: Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 3 7 0616
Colts 0 0 6612

at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game information

The Dolphins went to Indianapolis and upset the Colts, who were without starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, to earn their second win of the season, and improved to 2–7.[18]

Week 11: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week Eleven: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Bills 6 17 7737
Dolphins 0 14 0620

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: November 17
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 62 °F (17 °C)
  • Game attendance: 64,187
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 12: at Cleveland Browns
Week Twelve: Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 3 14724
Browns 14 14 01341

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: November 24
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Partly Cloudy, 39 °F (4 °C)
  • Game attendance: 67,431
  • Referee: Brad Rogers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 13: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week Thirteen: Philadelphia Eagles at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Eagles 10 11 7331
Dolphins 7 7 121137

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

This was Eagles running back Jay Ajayi's first return to Miami since the Dolphins traded him during the 2017 season, and it was also the first time since December 9, 2018 that the Dolphins scored more 30 points in a game. With the win, The Dolphins improved to 3–9. However, the Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention thanks to the Steelers' victory that same day.

Week 14: at New York Jets
Week Fourteen: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 3 6 3921
Jets 0 16 0622

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

This was Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's first return to New York since leaving the Jets via free agency following the 2016 season. With the loss the Dolphins fell to 3–10.

Week 15: at New York Giants
Week Fifteen: Miami Dolphins at New York Giants – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 10 3720
Giants 0 7 161336

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: December 15
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 48 °F (9 °C)
  • Game attendance: 72,894
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Dolphins were seeking a win over the Giants for the first time since 2003. With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 3–11 and were guaranteed to finish the season with their worst record since 2007, when they went 1–15. The Giants also snapped a 9-game losing streak, in a game that ended up being long-time quarterback Eli Manning's final start as a Giant. Manning announced his retirement from the NFL on January 22, 2020 after 16 years and winning 2 Super Bowls with the Giants.

Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week Sixteen: Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
1 2 34OTTotal
Bengals 0 6 623035
Dolphins 14 7 77338

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: December 22
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 76 °F (24 °C)
  • Game attendance: 60,968
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (CBS): Andrew Catalon and James Lofton
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Week 17: at New England Patriots
Week Seventeen: Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Dolphins 3 7 71027
Patriots 0 10 7724

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: December 29
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 43 °F (6 °C)
  • Game attendance: 65,878
  • Referee: Clay Martin
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

This was head coach Brian Flores' first return to Gillette Stadium since leaving the Patriots following their Super Bowl LIII victory on February 3, 2019. Flores served in multiple roles with the Patriots after their 2004 Super Bowl-winning season, winning 4 Super Bowls and served as linebackers coach from 2016 to 2018 and defacto Defensive Coordinator during 2018. The stunning victory, which denied the Patriots a first-round bye, was the Dolphins' first win in Gillette Stadium since 2008. It also ended up being Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's final regular season game in a Patriots uniform, as he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 17, 2020, after 20 years with the Patriots.[19] Miami finished the season at 5–11.

Division
AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(3) New England Patriots 12 4 0 .750 5–1 8–4 420 225 L1
(5) Buffalo Bills 10 6 0 .625 3–3 7–5 314 259 L2
New York Jets 7 9 0 .438 2–4 4–8 276 359 W2
Miami Dolphins 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 306 494 W2

Conference
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1 Baltimore Ravens North 14 2 0 .875 5–1 10–2 .494 .484 W12
2[lower-alpha 1] Kansas City Chiefs West 12 4 0 .750 6–0 9–3 .510 .477 W6
3[lower-alpha 1] New England Patriots East 12 4 0 .750 5–1 8–4 .469 .411 L1
4 Houston Texans South 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 .520 .488 L1
Wild Cards
5 Buffalo Bills East 10 6 0 .625 3–3 7–5 .461 .363 L2
6 Tennessee Titans South 9 7 0 .563 3–3 7–5 .488 .465 W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 .502 .324 L3
8[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] Denver Broncos West 7 9 0 .438 3–3 6–6 .510 .406 W2
9[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] Oakland Raiders West 7 9 0 .438 3–3 5–7 .482 .335 L1
10[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] Indianapolis Colts South 7 9 0 .438 3–3 5–7 .492 .500 L1
11[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 4] New York Jets East 7 9 0 .438 2–4 4–8 .473 .402 W2
12[lower-alpha 6] Jacksonville Jaguars South 6 10 0 .375 2–4 6–6 .484 .406 W1
13[lower-alpha 6] Cleveland Browns North 6 10 0 .375 3–3 6–6 .533 .479 L3
14[lower-alpha 7] Los Angeles Chargers West 5 11 0 .313 0–6 3–9 .514 .488 L3
15[lower-alpha 7] Miami Dolphins East 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 .484 .463 W2
16 Cincinnati Bengals North 2 14 0 .125 1–5 2–10 .553 .406 W1
Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 8]
  1. Kansas City finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory.
  2. Denver finished ahead of Indianapolis and NY Jets based on conference record. Division tiebreak was initially used to eliminate Oakland (see below).
  3. Denver finished ahead of Oakland based on conference record.
  4. Oakland and Indianapolis finished ahead of NY Jets based on conference record.
  5. Oakland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
  6. Jacksonville finished ahead of Cleveland based on record against common opponents. Jacksonville's cumulative record against Cincinnati, Denver, NY Jets, and Tennessee was 4–1, compared to Cleveland's 2–3 cumulative record against the same four teams.
  7. LA Chargers finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head victory.
  8. When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

References
  1. https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/27644725/dolphins-ineptitude-challenge-oddsmakers
  2. https://phinphanatic.com/2019/09/18/national-media-continue-call-nfl-something-miami-dolphins/
  3. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/dolphins-pull-off-blockbuster-trade-with-texans-land-multiple-first-round-picks-in-wild-laremy-tunsil-deal/
  4. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001055920/article/dolphins-s-minkah-fitzpatrick-traded-to-steelers
  5. Ulrich, Logan. "Dolphins Trade RB Kenyan Drake to Cardinals". NFLTR.
  6. "Ryan Fitzpatrick outplays Josh Rosen at Miami Dolphins minicamp". UPI.com.
  7. Patra, Kevin (December 31, 2018). "Miami Dolphins fire head coach Adam Gase". NFL.com. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  8. Nogle, Kevin (February 4, 2019). "Dolphins introduce Brian Flores as head coach". The Phinsider. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  9. Nogle, Kevin (February 8, 2019). "Dolphins announce Brian Flores coaching staff". The Phinsider. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  10. Jackson, Barry (July 29, 2019). "Flores sends a message with firing of offensive line coach just days into Dolphins camp". miamiherald.com. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  11. Lions trade DT Akeem Spence to Dolphins ESPN, May 3, 2018
  12. Habib, Hal. "Bounce back or we're going to fold': Miami Dolphins' defense already at crossroads". jacksonville.com. Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  13. Owens, Jason (2019-10-13). "Hapless Dolphins bumble late chance at first win in loss to Redskins". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  14. McAtee, Riley (13 October 2019). "The Dolphins Won the Tank Bowl by Losing". The Ringer. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  15. Wolfe, Cameron (2019-10-20). "Ryan Fitzpatrick adds unpredictable excitement for winless Dolphins". ESPN.com.
  16. Benjamin, Cody (2019-10-29). "Dolphins at Steelers score: Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh rebound to beat Miami on 'Monday Night Football'". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  17. Deen, Safid (2019-11-04). "Dolphins beat Jets for first win, and players say victory worth possibly hurting shot at top pick". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  18. "Dolphins Notch Second Straight Win, Beat Colts 16-12". 2019-11-11. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
  19. Hightower, Kyle (2019-12-29). "Dolphins stun Patriots 27-24, denying NE first-round bye". ABC News. AP Sports. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
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