Dolphins’ 17-Year AFC East Title Drought Confirmed
The Miami Dolphins’ hopes of reclaiming the AFC East title have officially evaporated for the 17th consecutive year. This unfortunate reality was cemented Monday night when the New England Patriots secured a commanding 33-15 victory over the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. With this win, the Patriots improved their record to 11-2 as they head into their bye week, leaving the Dolphins with a 5-7 standing and the inability to surpass 10 wins with only five games remaining on their schedule.
A Divisional Changing of the Guard
As the Dolphins face yet another year without a divisional championship, the focus shifts to the Patriots and their pursuit of divisional dominance. The question now lingers: will New England be able to halt the Buffalo Bills’ streak of five consecutive AFC East titles? This current run by the Bills follows the Patriots’ own reign of 11 seasons, which came after the Dolphins last celebrated an AFC East title back in 2008. Meanwhile, the New York Jets have not lifted the divisional trophy since 2002.
With a two-game lead atop the division and four games left to play, the Patriots only need to secure one victory against either the Buffalo Bills, following their bye in Week 15, or the New York Jets in Week 17, along with a season finale victory over the Dolphins, to clinch the AFC East title. The Dolphins’ 17-year drought stands as the longest in franchise history, far surpassing their previous record of seven years from 2001 to 2007. Under legendary coach Don Shula, the longest stretch without a title was six years between 1986 and 1991.
Offensive Line Adjustments
In a bid to strengthen their roster, the Dolphins have opted to re-sign offensive lineman Kion Smith to the practice squad. This decision came just three days after Smith was released to accommodate tackle Austin Jackson on the 53-man roster. Smith, who has been with Miami since 2021, has mostly contributed from the practice squad but has seen action in 20 regular-season games, including two starts earlier this season before being benched during a Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
To make room for Smith, the Dolphins released guard Braeden Daniels from the practice squad. Notably, the team had also been looking to bring back tight end Hayden Rucci, who was waived but subsequently claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions.
Tight End Tryouts
With Rucci now out of the picture, the Dolphins turned their attention to evaluating potential tight end additions, bringing in Cole Turner and Marshall Lang for tryouts. Turner, a fifth-round pick from Nevada in 2023, has played in 22 NFL games, starting three with the Washington Commanders. After being released during training camp, he spent the last two seasons out of the league and has tallied 13 career receptions.
On the other hand, Lang is a rookie free agent from Northwestern who has had stints with the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots this season. Currently, the Dolphins have three tight ends on their 53-man roster—Darren Waller, Julian Hill, and Greg Dulcich—along with Chris Myarick and Tanner Conner on the practice squad.
This and That
As the Dolphins prepare for their Week 15 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, several noteworthy transactions around the league caught attention. Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen was claimed by the Steelers after requesting his release from the Minnesota Vikings.
In another development, former Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin, who led Miami in rushing during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, was waived by the Seattle Seahawks just days after making his debut, where he rushed for 6 yards on three carries. This performance matched his total rushing attempts for the entire 2024 season, highlighting a challenging stretch after limited opportunities with the L.A. Rams and Minnesota Vikings earlier in 2023.
Additionally, former Dolphins defensive tackle Matt Dickerson has signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars off their practice squad. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders have re-signed wide receiver Robbie Chosen to their practice squad.
As the franchise reflects on its long-standing AFC East title drought, the Dolphins continue to navigate the challenges of the season, with an eye on future improvements.
