Dolphins’ 0-3 Nightmare Hasn’t Hit Rock Bottom Yet

The Miami Dolphins are staring down an ugly possibility: a 0-4 start against one of the NFL’s toughest schedules.

Miami is one of five winless teams heading into Week 4, and things aren’t getting any easier. Under first-year coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, the Dolphins are in the early stages of a rebuild, even if neither will call it one publicly.

The early schedule certainly hasn’t helped Miami. All three of the Dolphins’ opponents so far are undefeated, with a combined winning percentage of 1.000. Miami has already faced three of the NFL’s five remaining unbeaten teams — the Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs — and will face another Sunday when it visits the Minnesota Vikings.

The Dolphins will also face the league’s fifth undefeated team, the Buffalo Bills, twice later this season.

According to CBS Sports Research, Miami is one of 10 teams to play three games in three weeks against opponents with a combined strength-of-schedule rating of 1.000. Of those 10 teams, only the 1986 Philadelphia Eagles have faced another undefeated team in Week 4.

That Eagles team defeated the Rams in Week 4 to avoid a 0-4 start.

The Dolphins have started a season 0-4 five times, most recently in 2019. Miami finished 5-11 that season after winning three of its final five games.

The Dolphins entered the 2026 season with the second-toughest schedule in the NFL, based on their opponents’ 2025 winning percentage. Their 2026 opponents won 54 percent of their games last season.

Dolphins’ road just got tougher after the loss of Achane

Under Hafley, the Dolphins have prioritized developing their young roster over immediate results. With the youngest roster in the NFL, Miami lacks the talent and depth of many of its opponents, factors that have contributed to its 0-3 start.

It also doesn’t help that Pro Bowl running back De’Von Achane will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Achane tore his ACL in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs.

Achane was the Dolphins’ best offensive weapon, and his absence puts even more pressure on quarterback Malik Willis, who has just nine career starts.

Now, with their best offensive weapon gone and another brutal stretch of the schedule ahead, the Dolphins are staring at a start that could define their season. The talk of Miami becoming the NFL’s first 0-17 team may sound extreme, but at 0-3, the Dolphins have given that conversation plenty of oxygen.