Where Does This Dolphins Seven-Game Start Rank Among Their Worst?

We're not even at the halfway mark of the NFL regular season, and there's a good portion of Miami Dolphins who already have given up on their team for 2025 to the point of rooting for losses to help improve the draft position.

It's unfortunately a place the Dolphins have found themselves way too often this millennium, something that basically never happened when Don Shula was head coach.

When the Dolphins got embarrassed by the Cleveland Browns last weekend, it left them with a 1-6 record, marking the seventh time since the 2000s they've had less than two wins through seven games.

The Dolphins started 0-7 in 2007, 2011 and 2019, and now have started 1-6 in 2004, 2006, 2021 and 2025.

Do you want to know how many times the Dolphins were 0-7 or 1-6 in Don Shula's 26 years as head coach (from 1970-95)?

Zero. Zip. Zilch.

Never happened.

Ugh.

Yes, this is not a glorious period for Miami Dolphins football.

But how does this bad start compare to the others?

THE COMMON THREAD IN THE DOLPHINS' BAD STARTS

Looking at those seven seasons with an 0-7 or 1-6 start, what jumps out as a common theme has been quarterback injuries, something that does not apply this season.

But the Dolphins had quarterback injuries early in the season in 2006 (Daunte Culpepper), 2007 (Trent Green), 2011 (Chad Henne) and 2021 (Tua Tagovailoa), with all but Tua being done for the season.

All the teams also had their chances at winning games, with this year's team joining those of 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2021 with three one-score losses in the first seven games.

For the 2025 Dolphins, those were the games against the New England Patriots in Week 2 (33-27), the Carolina Panthers in Week 5 (27-24) and the Los Angeles Chargers (29-27) in Week 6.

The most common thread, though, is the one that doesn't bode well for Mike McDaniel's prospects of hanging on to his head coaching job.

Of the six Dolphins teams that began 0-7 or 1-6, all of them but one were replaced during or after the season. The one exception was Brian Flores, but the Dolphins' 0-7 start in 2019 obviously was different because the focus of the organization from the start of that season was building for the future and not winning games.

Dave Wannstedt was fired after nine games in 2004, and Tony Sparano was fired after 13 games in 2011.

Nick Saban was a different story because he left of his own accord after the 2006 season, but Cam Cameron was replaced after his one forgettable season in 2007 and Flores was gone after that 2021 season, though his departure wasn't related to the team's poor start (especially considering the Dolphins rebounded to finish 9-8).

COMPARING THE BAD STARTS

2025 — Record, 1-6 ... previous season, 8-9 ... one-score losses, 3 ... point differential, minus-65

2021 — Record, 1-6 ... previous season, 10-6 ... one-score losses, 3 ... point differential, minus-80

2019 — Record, 0-7, previous season, 7-9 ... one-score losses, 1 ... point differential, minus-161

2011 — Record, 0-7 ... previous season, 7-9 ... one-score losses, 3 ... point differential, minus-59

2007 — Record, 0-7 ... previous season, 6-10 ... one-score losses, 3 ... point differential, minus-75

2006 — Record, 1-6 ... previous season, 9-7 ... one-score losses, 2 ... point differential, minus-43

2004 — Record 1-6 .... previous season, 10-6 ... one-score losses, 3 ... point differential, minus-35

SO WHERE DOES THE 2025 TEAM RANK?

Taking into consideration all the factors involved, such as QB injuries, the previous season and expectations, there's no doubt this seven-game start is right at or near the top (or bottom, depending on how you view it).

While this Dolphins team did enter the season with a whole bunch of question marks, it really was a stretch to suggest Miami would have a 1-6 record at this stage.

But in terms of worst seven-game starts, we probably still have to go with the 2004 or 2021 team because the Dolphins were 10-6 the year before each time, though there were major obstacles thrown in Miami's way before or early in the season.

In 2004, the Dolphins were blindsided by the abrupt retirement of Ricky Williams, who was the focal point of the offense, and in 2021 the injury that sidelined Tagovailoa in Week 2 also was a big setback, even if Jacoby Brissett gave Miami better quarterback play than they got from any backup the previous two seasons.

On a last note, as the Dolphins prepare to face Atlanta on Sunday, two six previous teams that began 1-6 or 0-7 were a combined 2-4 in their eighth game.

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