Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins 
OPPONENT SPOTLIGHT · MIAMI DOLPHINS · Updated October 26, 2026
Two Coasts. One State. Plenty of Bragging Rights.
Miami brings the aqua. Tampa Bay brings the pewter. And whenever these Florida neighbors share a field, the Sunshine State suddenly develops two very different opinions about how the afternoon should end.
This is the Buccaneers–Dolphins archive: every completed regular-season meeting, the stadium names of the time, the moments worth remembering and the people who have worn both sides of the rivalry. A missing GameDay report never means a missing game.
Captain Booty has arrived with a nautical chart, an X-marked treasure bag and a deeply questionable plan to charge passing dolphins a harbor toll. “They’re mammals, Captain,” the Parrot protests. “And none of them are carrying a wallet.”
Completed regular-season results through December 28, 2025. No postseason meetings. Home/road splits are calculated from the ledger below; preseason games do not count toward these totals.
Sources: Complete Buccaneers–Dolphins results · Buccaneers: December 28, 2025 rapid reaction.
THE OPPONENT BRIEFING
- Franchise granted
- August 16, 1965
- First season
- 1966 · American Football League
- Conference / division
- AFC East · NFL since the 1970 merger
- Current home
- Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, Florida
- Training headquarters
- Baptist Health Training Complex · Miami Gardens
- Fan identity
- The Fins · DolFans · aqua and orange
- First Bucs meeting
- October 24, 1976 · Tampa Stadium · Miami 23, Tampa Bay 20
- First Bucs victory
- November 29, 1982 · Tampa Stadium · Tampa Bay 23, Miami 17
2026 leadership snapshot
Jeff Hafley was named Miami’s head coach on January 19, 2026, following two seasons as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator. The current coaching directory lists Bobby Slowik as offensive coordinator, Sean Duggan as defensive coordinator and Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator.
Jon-Eric Sullivan is general manager, and Stephen M. Ross is chairman and owner. These roles are a dated October 2026 snapshot, not a description of the people who held those jobs during every historical matchup.
The team’s modern training home opened in Miami Gardens in July 2021. References to the former Davie headquarters belong to that earlier chapter.
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dolphins team facts · Dolphins: current coaching staff · Dolphins: current front office · Dolphins: 2021 training-complex opening.
EVERY REGULAR-SEASON BUCCANEERS–DOLPHINS GAME
Scores always show Tampa Bay first. A dash means no GameDay report is linked; the game’s date, setting and result remain in the archive.
On smaller screens, swipe the table sideways to reach all columns. Historical stadium names are retained rather than applying today’s branding to every visit.
Showing 13 regular-season games: Tampa Bay 7 wins, 6 losses.
| Game date | Opponent | Site | Stadium | Bucs result | GameDay report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Tampa StadiumTampa, Florida | L 20–23 | GameDay report |
| 1982 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Tampa StadiumTampa, FloridaMonday Night Football | W 23–17 | GameDay report |
| 1985 season | Miami Dolphins | Away | Orange BowlMiami, Florida | L 38–41 | GameDay report |
| 1988 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Tampa StadiumTampa, Florida | L 14–17 | GameDay report |
| 1991 season | Miami Dolphins | Away | Joe Robbie StadiumMiami area, Florida | L 14–33 | GameDay report |
| 1997 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Houlihan’s StadiumTampa, FloridaTampa Stadium name at the time | W 31–21 | GameDay report |
| 2000 season | Miami Dolphins | Away | Pro Player StadiumMiami area, Florida | W 16–13 | GameDay report |
| 2005 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Raymond James StadiumTampa, Florida | W 27–13 | GameDay report |
| 2009 season | Miami Dolphins | Away | Land Shark StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida | L 23–25 | GameDay report |
| 2013 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FloridaMonday Night Football | W 22–19 | GameDay report |
| 2017 season | Miami Dolphins | Away | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida | W 30–20 | GameDay report |
| 2021 season | Miami Dolphins | Home | Raymond James StadiumTampa, Florida | W 45–17 | — |
| 2025 season | Miami Dolphins | Away | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida | L 17–20 | — |
The ledger contains all 13 completed regular-season meetings. Combined points, calculated from those results: Tampa Bay 320, Miami 279. Eleven existing GameDay archive destinations are retained; the 2021 and 2025 results have no report link.
Sources: Complete Buccaneers–Dolphins results · Buccaneers: earlier series history · Buccaneers: December 28, 2025 rapid reaction.
POSTSEASON & PRESEASON: KEEPING THE LOG STRAIGHT
Tampa Bay and Miami have never met in the NFL postseason. The empty playoff grid has therefore given way to this simple explanation. There is no Buccaneers–Dolphins NFC Championship entry to add.
The clubs do have a much longer exhibition relationship: Tampa Bay’s December 2025 preview counted 32 preseason meetings. That is a separately dated preseason figure—not 32 more games in the regular-season standings and not a promise of an exhibition every year.
The Parrot’s bookkeeping rule: Practice treasure goes in the practice chest. Regular-season results go in the real ledger. The Captain may not combine them merely because the larger number looks more impressive.
Sources: Complete Buccaneers–Dolphins results · Buccaneers: 2025 matchup history and connections.
LATEST MEETING: MIAMI 20, TAMPA BAY 17
Sunday, December 28, 2025 · Week 17 · Hard Rock Stadium · Miami Gardens, Florida
Tampa Bay opened with a Chris Godwin touchdown, but Miami answered through rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. His touchdown throws to Theo Wease Jr. and Greg Dulcich helped the Dolphins take control before halftime. A late Mike Evans score narrowed the margin, but the comeback ran out of room.
The Bucs produced 380 total yards to Miami’s 298, yet finished with just 53 rushing yards and lost the turnover battle 3–0. That contrast tells the story: moving the ball was not the same as protecting it or turning enough possessions into points.
Baker Mayfield
33 completions in 44 attempts; 346 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Two 100-yard days
Jalen McMillan: seven catches for 114 yards. Chris Godwin: seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Quinn Ewers
14 completions in 22 attempts; 172 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
This is a sourced summary of the latest meeting, not a newly published BuccaneersFan.com GameDay report. Its ledger row is intentionally unlinked.
Sources: Buccaneers: December 28, 2025 rapid reaction · Buccaneers: December 28, 2025 full recap.
CHAPTERS FROM THE SUNSHINE STATE SHIP’S LOG
The first winning entry
Tampa Bay’s first regular-season victory over Miami arrived on Monday Night Football at Tampa Stadium. The state’s younger franchise finally had a winning entry in this particular ledger.
Four for Jimmie Giles
Jimmie Giles caught four touchdown passes at the Orange Bowl. Miami won the shootout, but Giles supplied an extraordinary individual chapter in Buccaneers history.
Thunder, lightning & a 4–0 start
Mike Alstott scored twice on the ground; Warrick Dunn added a 58-yard touchdown reception. Tampa Bay’s revival had a prime-time Florida showcase.
A Monday-night breakthrough
The Bucs ended an 0–8 start. Donald Penn caught a touchdown, Lavonte David supplied a safety and Darrelle Revis helped close the door.
A finish busier than the score suggests
Patrick Murray’s late field goal broke the tie. Adarius Glanton then recovered a fumble for a touchdown on Miami’s last kickoff-return attempt.
Five touchdown passes. No small change.
Tom Brady threw for 411 yards and five touchdowns. Tampa Bay amassed 558 total yards in its largest winning margin in the series.
Sources: Buccaneers: earlier series history · Buccaneers Ring of Honor: Jimmie Giles · Buccaneers: 2025 matchup history and connections · Buccaneers: October 10, 2021 recap.
The Captain’s imaginary treasure audit
Every Buccaneers score brings another clink from the Captain’s X-marked hip bag. He insists that enough offensive production will eventually buy a cover for Raymond James Stadium. The Parrot has requested receipts, a structural engineer and a firm commitment not to spend the roof fund on decorative cannons.
“Miami has shade,” the Captain grumbles. “We have ambition.”
“We have seventeen coins and a damp bar napkin,” replies the Parrot.
FRANCHISE HISTORY: FROM AN AFL START TO A PERFECT SEASON
1965–1969: a new professional team for Miami
The AFL awarded the franchise in 1965, and the Dolphins began play the following year. Joe Robbie and Danny Thomas were central to the club’s beginnings. Miami was an expansion addition to the AFL, rather than one of its original eight clubs.
George Wilson coached the early teams. Those seasons were difficult, but the roster began to acquire the players who would define the next era. The Orange Bowl supplied the setting; aqua and orange gave the club its unmistakable identity.
1970–1973: Shula changes the course
Don Shula’s arrival in 1970 transformed the Dolphins into a playoff team. Miami then reached three consecutive Super Bowls, losing Super Bowl VI before winning VII and VIII.
The 1972 season ended 17–0: 14 regular-season victories and three postseason wins, capped by Super Bowl VII. The following season produced another championship. Those are the 1972 and 1973 championship seasons, even though the Super Bowls themselves were played in January 1973 and January 1974.
The defenses behind the famous names
The “No-Name Defense” belongs to the early championship years. The “Killer B’s” identifies a later Miami defensive generation, including the group that helped the club reach Super Bowl XVII after the 1982 season. They are different historical units, not interchangeable nicknames for every Dolphins defense.
1983–1999: Dan Marino’s passing era
Marino brought a different kind of threat to South Florida. His quick release and aggressive passing turned Miami into a destination for offensive fireworks, including the 1984 season’s then-record 48 touchdown passes. The Dolphins reached Super Bowl XIX, but fell to San Francisco.
Shula’s tenure continued through 1995, and Jimmy Johnson followed him. Marino’s career lasted through the 1999 season. Together, those decades explain why the names Griese, Csonka, Shula and Marino remain central to Miami’s football identity.
2000–2016: changing coaches, changing approaches
The post-Marino years included Dave Wannstedt’s early playoff teams, Ricky Williams’ powerful running, the short Nick Saban and Cam Cameron eras, and Tony Sparano’s 2008 division-winning turnaround. Miami’s Wildcat packages became a signature talking point that season.
Later came the Joe Philbin years and a 2016 playoff appearance under Adam Gase. These are historical chapters, not the current coaching directory.
The modern chapter
The stadium’s transformation and the 2021 move into the Baptist Health Training Complex changed Miami’s physical home. The club returned to the playoffs under Mike McDaniel in the 2022 season. In January 2026, the next coaching chapter began with Jeff Hafley.
Championship ledger: Super Bowl champions for the 1972 and 1973 seasons; AFC champions in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1982 and 1984. Miami’s retired jersey numbers include 12 — Bob Griese, 13 — Dan Marino and 39 — Larry Csonka.
The historical overview retains the principal eras covered by this page’s earlier archive. The linked records below support the championship summary and newer milestones; present-day staff are listed separately above.
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dolphins team facts · Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dolphins history · Dolphins: 2021 training-complex opening · Dolphins: Jeff Hafley appointment and career history.
ACROSS FLORIDA: PEOPLE WITH BOTH TEAMS IN THEIR STORY
Todd Bowles
Bowles coached in Miami from 2008–2011 and served as interim head coach for its final three games of 2011. His Tampa Bay story has a South Florida prelude.
Jeff Hafley
Miami’s 2026 head coach began his NFL coaching career in Tampa: assistant defensive backs coach in 2012, then secondary/safeties coach in 2013.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick quarterbacked Tampa Bay’s 2017 victory in Miami and later played for the Dolphins. The beard belongs to more than one Florida football memory.
Quinton Bell
Bell spent time with Tampa Bay’s practice squad and active roster in 2019–2020. As a Dolphin, he recovered a Mayfield fumble in the December 2025 meeting.
Sources: Buccaneers: 2025 matchup history and connections · Dolphins: Jeff Hafley appointment and career history · Buccaneers: December 28, 2025 rapid reaction.
DOLFANS, T.D. & THE SOUND OF SOUTH FLORIDA
T.D.: the modern sideline character
The Dolphins introduced their official costumed mascot, T.D., in 1997. Miami’s own retrospective with original performer Bill Bant places that debut in the franchise’s fan-entertainment history.
The Captain has asked whether “T.D.” is an instruction to score touchdowns or an offer to pay his travel expenses. The Parrot has explained that neither interpretation constitutes a binding agreement.
Older Orange Bowl traditions
This archive also remembers the live-dolphin “Flipper” displays of the earlier Orange Bowl years and Dolfan Denny’s colorful crowd-leading appearances. Those are historical traditions, distinct from the present-day costumed mascot.
Cheerleaders, music and community
The page’s earlier fan-history material traces the cheerleading program from the Dolphins Dolls to its later professional squad. It also records the Lee Ofman fight song associated with the 1972 season and the club’s volunteer tradition. Old squad sizes, staff names and appearance schedules are not carried forward as current information.
For today’s cheerleading and community programs, consult the Dolphins’ own departments. The football rivalry can stay spirited without overlooking the work both Florida fan communities do away from the field.
Sources: Dolphins: the original T.D..
Earlier traditions are retained as historical archive material. Current program information: Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders · Dolphins community programs.
AQUA, ORANGE & A TRIP INTO DARK WATERS
A dolphin in a football helmet
The original family of logos paired a leaping, helmeted dolphin with a sunburst. White helmets, aqua, orange and the familiar shoulder striping established a look closely associated with Miami’s early eras.
A modern shape, a cleaner finish
The 2013 redesign introduced the swimming-dolphin silhouette. The 2018 update retained that design while deepening the orange and removing marine-blue outlines from the uniform’s stripes, names and numbers.
Dark Waters
Miami added an alternate look with dark aquatic tones, orange details and dark-blue accents. Its announced debut was the September 29, 2025 Monday-night meeting with the Jets—not a Buccaneers game.
These are dated stages in the uniform story, not a claim that every game uses the same combination. The historical artwork on this page remains part of the archive rather than being replaced every time an alternate uniform appears.
Sources: Dolphins: 2018 uniform update · Dolphins: Dark Waters Rivalries uniform.
STADIUMS: THE ORANGE BOWL, THE NAME CHANGES & THE SHADE
1966–1986: the Orange Bowl
The Dolphins played their first 21 seasons at the Orange Bowl in Miami. It hosted the club’s early rise, championship-era home games and the 1985 Buccaneers visit when Jimmie Giles scored four times.
That venue and today’s Hard Rock Stadium are different buildings. A historical trip to the Orange Bowl should never be relabeled as a game in Miami Gardens.
1987–present: one stadium, several names
Miami moved into Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987. Over time, the same venue carried names including Pro Player Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, Land Shark Stadium and Sun Life Stadium before becoming Hard Rock Stadium.
The matchup table therefore uses Joe Robbie Stadium for 1991, Pro Player Stadium for 2000, Land Shark Stadium for 2009 and Hard Rock Stadium for the later visits. The older “Miami area” labels also avoid applying the subsequently incorporated city name to every early game.
A canopy—not an enclosed dome
The stadium modernization introduced an open-air canopy to provide shade and weather protection for spectators. It is not an enclosed stadium roof. The renovation work was phased across offseasons, allowing Dolphins home games to continue.
The building hosted Super Bowl LIV in 2020; that event is now part of its history, not a future booking. Miami’s training operations also moved to the nearby Baptist Health Training Complex in 2021, giving the modern stadium district a different role from the older Davie headquarters.
Captain Booty’s entirely unofficial roof consultation: “A canopy! Why didn’t we think of that?”
The Parrot examines the Captain’s drawings. “Because you’ve labeled the supporting columns ‘four very tall pirates’ and the funding source ‘future touchdowns.’”
The X-marked bag is returned to the Captain’s hip. The roof fund remains imaginary. The desire for shade is very real.
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dolphins history · Thornton Tomasetti: stadium and canopy history · HOK: Hard Rock Stadium modernization · Dolphins: 2021 training-complex opening.
RECORDS, REPORTS & RESEARCH NOTES
Coverage: All 13 completed regular-season meetings through December 28, 2025 are included. Tampa Bay leads 7–6; there have been no postseason meetings. Preseason games are not included in that total.
Report availability: Eleven matching GameDay destinations from the supplied site archive are preserved. The October 10, 2021 and December 28, 2025 games have full ledger entries but no GameDay-report hyperlink. External research links remain source notes, never substitutes in the report column.
What was updated: The 2025 result, corrected August 16, 1965 franchise-grant date, current leadership, Miami Gardens training headquarters, newer uniform chapters and stadium chronology were researched for this edition. Historical images, Getty embeds and the site’s shared Library sections are retained.
Reading the dates: Championship seasons and the calendar dates of their Super Bowls are distinguished. The October 26, 2026 profile date does not imply that the last Tampa Bay–Miami game occurred in 2026. Coaching roles and future schedules can change; this is an editorial archive, not a live feed.
The Captain’s Log: Captain Booty, the Parrot, the doblones and the roof-fund conversations are fictional fan commentary. Game results and factual additions are supported by the linked records.