Breaking Down the Defining Moments of the 2025 Season

The Miami Dolphins are in the early stages of their search for a permanent general manager with questions still remaining with head coach Mike McDaniel's job status, and it's all because of what transpired in the 2025 season.

The Dolphins failed to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season, but worse they took a step back with their seven-win total despite not having the excuse of 2024 of their starting quarterback missing six games because of injuries.

In looking back at this highly disappointing 2025, there were some clear moments that stood out as really portraying and defining this lost season.

THE MOMENTS THAT DEFINED THE 2025 DOLPHINS SEASON

Week 1 at Indianapolis — Tua interception on first drive

This play didn't lose the game against the Colts because the Dolphins simply were outmatched at Lucas Oil Stadium, but Tua Tagovailoa's pick when he tried to hit Tyreek Hill down the middle of the field unfortunately proved a sign of things to come.

Week 2 vs. New England — The kickoff return for a touchdown

A big issue for the Dolphins early in the season was their inability to come through in the clutch or, if you prefer, their knack for finding ways to lose. The home opener against New England was a perfect example of a game Miami clearly could have and maybe even should have won, and they appeared on their way after Malik Washington's punt return for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, only to give up the lead on the next kickoff.

Week 3 at Buffalo — The Zach Sieler penalty

One could make an argument for the pick that ended the Dolphins drive when they were trailing 28-21, but this was another game they were in position to win, only to make a critical mistake at a bad time, this one the roughing-the-punter penalty on Zach Sieler after the defense had gotten a third consecutive stop and Miami was about to get the ball back in a 21-21 game.

Week 4 vs. N.Y. Jets — The Tyreek Hill injury

While the days of Hill putting up 1,700 receiving yards were done regardless, there's no understating what losing him meant to the offense in terms of condensing the field for everybody else.

Week 6 vs. L.A. Chargers — The missed sack

The Dolphins were so tantalizingly close to pulling off a comeback victory against the Chargers when Jaelan Phillips had what might have been a game-sealing sack on the final drive, only to watch Justin Herbert escape to complete a pass that would set up the winning field goal for L.A.

Week 7 at Cleveland — The long touchdown run

The 46-yard touchdown run by rookie Quinshon Judkins was symbolic of the team's run defense problems in the first half of the season and it gave Cleveland a 10-3 lead in the second quarter one play after an Ashtyn Davis was nullified by a DPI against Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Week 9 vs. Baltimore — The failed fourth down

Despite a final score of 28-6, the Dolphins put up a good battle in the first half against the Ravens in the Thursday night and maybe even outplayed them. But they just couldn't finish, the worst example being the incomplete pass on fourth-and-2 from the Baltimore 13 when Tua's pass in the end zone sailed way over the head of De'Von Achane.

Week 15 at Pittsburgh — The short scramble

One of the issues in the second half of the season was Tua's diminishing mobility and the most glaring example might have come on the third-down scramble in the second quarter of a 0-0 game when he slid just short of the first-down marker. That the spot seemed dubious is besides the point that it should have been a slam-dunk first down.

Week 16 vs. Cincinnati — The Greg Dulcich fumble

The third quarter was an abomination all season for the Dolphins and one issue was the inability to stop one mistake from becoming something bigger. The Dulcich fumble proved a perfect example as it came right after rookie Theo Wease Jr. was flagged for a dubious OPI to negate a long screen pass from Quinn Ewers to Achane.