Honestly, if you grew up in South Florida or the tri-state area, you know this isn't just a game. It’s a personality trait. The Miami Dolphins and the Jets have been punching each other in the mouth since 1966, and frankly, the 2025 season just proved that even when both teams are struggling, they will still find a way to make it weird.
People think the "Fake Spike" in '94 or the "Monday Night Miracle" in 2000 were the peaks. They weren't. The real story is how these two franchises have spent the last few years trading blows while trying to figure out their own identities. Look at the 2025 campaign. It was a disaster for New York, finishing a dismal 3-14 under Aaron Glenn. Meanwhile, Miami managed a 7-10 record, which sounds better until you realize they fired Mike McDaniel on January 8, 2026.
The Tua Dominance Nobody Mentions
Everyone loves to debate Tua Tagovailoa. Is he elite? Is he a system guy? While the pundits argue, the numbers tell a very specific, very loud story when it comes to New York.
Tua basically owns the Jets.
After the December 7, 2025, matchup—a 34-10 Dolphins blowout at MetLife Stadium—Tua moved to 7-0 as a starter against them. He’s 8-0 overall if you count the games he appeared in. It’s a statistical anomaly. In that December win, the weather was 41 degrees. Before that game, Tua was 0-7 in his career when the temperature dipped below 46. He didn't just beat the Jets; he beat the "cold weather" narrative that has haunted him for years.
💡 You might also like: Six Nations Championship Results: Why the Table Never Tells the Full Story
But here’s the kicker: despite that dominance, Miami benched him for the rookie Quinn Ewers in Week 16 against the Bengals. It felt like a fever dream for fans. One week you’re crushing your biggest rival, and the next, the front office is effectively saying, "Thanks, but we're moving on."
Why the Jets Can't Catch a Break
It’s been 15 years. 15. That is the length of the Jets' current playoff drought, the longest active streak in the NFL.
The 2025 season was supposed to be different. Aaron Rodgers was back, then he wasn't, then he was on the Steelers? Yeah, that actually happened. Rodgers ended up in Pittsburgh by mid-season, leaving the Jets to cycle through Tyrod Taylor and an undrafted rookie named Brady Cook.
Cook made his debut against the Dolphins in December after Taylor went down with a groin injury. It went about as well as you’d expect for a rookie facing a hungry Miami defense. Two interceptions. A measly 163 yards. The Jets didn't even record a single interception as a team for the entire 2025 season. Think about that. In the modern NFL, playing 17 games and failing to pick off a single pass is almost mathematically impossible.
The Roster Gutting of 2025
If you want to know why the Miami Dolphins and the Jets rivalry felt a bit lopsided recently, look at the trade deadline. The Jets went into full "fire sale" mode.
✨ Don't miss: Week 4 Trade Value: Why You Should Probably Stop Looking at Your Roster So Much
- They traded All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts.
- They shipped Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys.
- They basically hit the reset button while the season was still live.
Miami wasn't much more stable. Chris Grier, the longtime GM, "parted ways" with the team on October 31, 2025. When the front office is crumbling, it doesn't matter how many times you beat the Jets. The Dolphins finished 2025 with a winning record against their division rivals, but it wasn't enough to save jobs.
Ground Games and Growing Pains
In that final 2025 meeting, Miami didn't even need Tua to be a hero. They ran for 239 yards. De’Von Achane was a lightning bolt before he got hurt, and Jaylen Wright stepped in for a career-high 107 yards. It was a physical beatdown that exposed how far the Jets' defense had fallen after trading their stars.
The Jets' lone bright spot? Isaiah Williams. The kid returned a punt 78 yards for a score. It’s those small, random flashes of brilliance that keep Jets fans coming back, even when the rest of the product is falling apart.
What Really Matters for 2026
We are looking at a total landscape shift. Mike McDaniel is gone. Aaron Glenn’s future is a question mark. Both teams are likely looking for new signal-callers, as Tua has openly admitted he’d be "good with it" if he played elsewhere in 2026.
The rivalry is entering a "Cold War" phase. Both teams are rebuilding at the same time, which usually leads to some of the ugliest, most entertaining football you’ll ever see.
What to watch for moving forward:
- The Quarterback Carousel: If Miami moves on from Tua, do they go all-in on Quinn Ewers, or do they look at the 2026 draft?
- The Jets' Defensive Identity: Without Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, this unit is unrecognizable. They need to find an alpha in the draft.
- Coaching Search: Miami is a destination because of the talent (Waddle, Hill, Achane), but the pressure to win now is suffocating.
If you’re a fan of either team, the best thing you can do right now is stop looking at the 2025 standings and start looking at the salary cap. Miami’s cap situation is a maze, and the Jets have a ton of draft capital after their mid-season trades. The power balance in the AFC East usually shifts every five years or so, and we are right on the edge of a swing.
Keep an eye on the 2026 NFL Draft order. The Jets are sitting pretty with a high pick, while Miami is in that awkward middle ground. If the Jets finally land a franchise QB who doesn't see ghosts or get injured in the first four snaps, the 15-year drought might actually end. But until then, Miami still holds the bragging rights. 63-57-1 all-time. That one tie from 1981 still feels like the most "Dolphins vs. Jets" outcome possible.
Actionable Insights for Fans
Start tracking the coaching hires for Miami immediately. The scheme the new coach brings in will dictate whether Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill remain the most dangerous duo in football or if the offense gets a total facelift. For Jets fans, watch the trade market—now that the roster has been stripped down, they have the flexibility to be aggressive for a veteran QB if they don't trust the draft class.