The 2017 season was the Miami Dolphins' 48th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 52nd overall, their second under general manager Chris Grier and their second under head coach Adam Gase. The team came off from a 10-6 record and a playoff appearance for the first time since 2008. They were seen as potential playoff contenders and looked to make consecutive playoff seasons for the first time since the 2000 and 2001 seasons. However, the team was affected by the loss of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who tore his ACL during practice and was ruled out for the season. The team turned to former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who came out of retirement to become Tannehill's replacement and team's starter. After Tannehill got injured, coach Adam Gase called former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning about possibly coming out of retirement and taking Tannehill's place. However Manning later declined the idea of coming out of retirement. Gase was the QB coach and offensive coordinator of Peyton's Broncos between the 2012 and 2014 seasons. Additionally, the Dolphins were also one of the teams Peyton considered signing with following his release by the Colts in 2012. Later during the season, the team traded starting running back Jay Ajayi to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2018 fourth round draft pick on October 31.
The team's Week 1 game against the Buccaneers was rescheduled to November 19 due to Hurricane Irma. Week 11 was originally the two teams' bye week. Week 1 would become the bye week for both teams and they would not play until Week 2. This was first time since the Arizona Cardinals in 2001 in which a team had a bye week in Week 1.
The Dolphins struggled during the season and failed to improve on the previous season's record after losing to the Patriots on Week 12 and were eliminated from the postseason after losing to the Chiefs in Week 16. They finished with a reverse record from the previous year, going 6âÂÂ10. This was the Dolphins's fourteenth season missing the playoffs since the league's realignment in 2002.
Notes
On December 13, 2016, the NFL announced that the Dolphins would play host to the New Orleans Saints as one of the NFL London Games at Wembley Stadium. The game occurred during Week 4 (Sunday, October 1), and was televised in the United States.
The remainder of the Dolphins' schedule was finalized and announced on April 20.
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
After their week 1 game was postponed due to Hurricane Irma, the Dolphins traveled out to LA to face the new Los Angeles Chargers, where they won 19âÂÂ17 to start the season at 1âÂÂ0. It was also the Dolphins' first road win over the Chargers since 2005.
Due to the delayed game of week one, this ended up being the first home game for the Dolphins in the regular season.
This was the Dolphins' first win in Atlanta since 1980, during the Don Shula era.
In a game that was originally going to be played in week 1, but got moved due to Hurricane Irma, the Buccaneers won 30âÂÂ20 thanks to three Jay Cutler interceptions
This game marked the end of Jay Cutler's, Jarvis Landry's, Ndamukong Suh's, and Mike Pouncey's tenure in Miami. Landry was ejected from the game after instigating a fight following a fourth-quarter touchdown reception.