You’d think a couple of teams that only play each other once every four years wouldn’t have much bad blood. But when it comes to the Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears, the history is surprisingly heavy. Most fans look at the schedule and see a cross-conference game. I see a ghost story that started in 1985 and never really left the building.
Honestly, the "rivalry" is basically built on one Monday night in South Beach. It was December 2, 1985. The Bears were 12-0. They weren't just winning; they were destroying people. Then they ran into Dan Marino and a Dolphins team that was fiercely protective of the 1972 "Perfect Season" legacy. Miami won 38-24, and to this day, Bears fans of a certain age still get a little twitchy when you bring up Nat Moore or those Mark Duper deep balls.
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The 1985 Ghost and Why It Still Matters
It's kinda wild how much that one game defines the relationship between these two franchises. The Bears ended up winning the Super Bowl that year anyway, but they didn't get the perfect record. Miami made sure of that. Don Shula basically treated that game like his own personal Super Bowl.
Fast forward to the modern era, and the vibe has shifted toward joint practices and preseason chess matches. Most recently, on August 10, 2025, these two squads met at Soldier Field for a preseason opener that ended in a 24-24 tie. Yeah, a tie. It was actually the first time in 52 years the Bears had a preseason deadlock, and—get this—the last one was also against the Dolphins back in 1973.
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The 2025 matchup gave us a glimpse of the new-look Bears under the Caleb Williams era, though the starters didn't see much action. We saw guys like Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent slinging it for Chicago, while Miami's backup crew, including Zach Wilson and rookie Quinn Ewers, tried to find a rhythm.
Recent Clashes: More Than Just Preseason Fluff
When these teams meet in the regular season, it's usually high-scoring chaos. You've got the 2022 game, for instance. That was a track meet. Justin Fields broke the regular-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game with 178 yards. Miami still won that one 35-32 because Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were doing Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle things.
It’s a classic clash of styles. Chicago usually tries to build through a bruising defense and a versatile ground game. Miami? They want to make you play in space until your lungs burn.
- Series Record: Miami actually leads the all-time regular-season series 10-4.
- The Scoring Gap: Dolphins have outscored the Bears 335 to 276 over the course of their history.
- The Cutler Connection: Jay Cutler is a huge bridge here. He's the Bears' all-time leading passer, but he came out of retirement to play for the Dolphins in 2017. It was... an era.
The Weird Shared DNA
The player crossover is actually deeper than most people realize. It's not just Cutler. You've got Brandon Marshall, who was a Pro Bowler for both squads. You've got Adewale Ogunleye, who was a sack machine in Miami before being traded to Chicago for Marty Booker.
Even the coaching staff connections are everywhere. During the 2025 joint practices, the focus was all on how the Dolphins' speed would test Chicago's revamped secondary. The Bears have been trying to build a "no-fly zone," but when Mike McDaniel brings his track team to town, those schemes get stressed in ways they don't see in the NFC North.
What to Watch for in the Next Matchup
We won't see a regular-season game between these two for a bit due to the NFL's rotation, but the joint practices have become a staple. If you're betting or just analyzing the roster, keep an eye on the trenches.
The Bears’ offensive line has been a work in progress, and Miami's defensive front—which looked sharp in that 2025 preseason tie with Austin Booker racking up three sacks for the Bears side—is always a handful.
If you want to understand the Miami Dolphins Chicago Bears dynamic, stop looking at it as just another game. It's a measuring stick. For the Bears, it’s about whether their defense can handle elite, modern speed. For the Dolphins, it’s about whether they can handle the physical, cold-weather grit that Chicago prides itself on.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Watch the 1985 Highlights: If you haven't seen the "38-24" game, go find it on YouTube. It explains the "1972 Dolphins" champagne toast tradition better than any article ever could.
- Track the Joint Practice Reports: Since these teams don't play often, the joint practice sessions (like the ones held at Halas Hall in August 2025) provide the best data on how these rosters actually stack up.
- Check the 2026 Schedule: Keep an eye on the 17th-game formula. Depending on where they finish in their respective divisions, an "extra" cross-conference game could put them on the field sooner than the standard four-year rotation.
- Monitor the Secondary Matchups: Whenever these two meet, the game is won or lost on the perimeter. Can Chicago's corners handle the "track star" speed of Miami? That's always the $100 question.
The history is there. The stats favor Miami. But the soul of the matchup is still that cold December night in 1985 when the Dolphins protected their perfect record and reminded everyone that on any given Monday, history can be defended.