FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Miami Dolphins’ 2025 season mercifully came to its woeful end, and now the focus for the franchise immediately shifts to a pivotal offseason.
The New England Patriots’ running backs combined for five touchdowns, and a Dolphins offense quarterbacked by rookie Quinn Ewers and without running back De’Von Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle didn’t stand a chance in a 38-10 final to cap another vastly disappointing season.
Miami finished 7-10, a game worse than its 2024 record. A decision will soon be made on the fate of coach Mike McDaniel for a franchise which will already be looking for a new permanent general manager after firing Chris Grier midway through the season.
The Patriots (14-3), who will remain the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs because of the Denver Broncos’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers, completed a 10-game turnaround from 2024, matching the 1999 Indianapolis Colts and 2008 Dolphins for the greatest single-season turnaround.
Ewers finished 16 of 23 for 137 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, possibly capping an MVP season, was 14 of 17 for 191 yards and a touchdown.
But the running backs stole the show against the Miami defense. Rhamondre Stevenson scored on the ground and through the air for three total touchdowns as he accumulated 153 total yards from scrimmage. TreVeyon Henderson added a pair of rushing touchdowns.
Ewers kept Miami in it in the first half through early into the second. The Dolphins were driving on the opening series of the third quarter, but Ewers made his first costly mistake, intercepted in the end zone by safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
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That’s when the third-quarter onslaught began.
Stevenson caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Maye in the corner of the end zone after blowing by linebacker Tyrel Dodson with a quick move to the inside.
He rumbled for another score on the ground, from 35 yards out a few minutes later.
Early in the fourth quarter, Henderson tacked on a 2-yard touchdown plunge.
Down, 14-0, Ewers led a 10-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Malik Washington to get Miami back within a score after a hot Patriots start.
Running back Jaylen Wright later lost a fumble, forced by linebacker Jack Gibbens and recovered by defensive lineman Elijah Ponder, but when the Patriots lined up for a field goal to extend their advantage, Miami defensive tackle Zach Sieler blocked it and cornerback Jason Marshall recovered it up the field.
The Dolphins scored 3 points on the foot of kicker Riley Patterson, good on a 52-yard field goal with 28 seconds left before halftime.
A Maye scramble allowed New England to get into long field goal range, and former Miami Hurricanes kicker Andy Borregales made the kick from 59 yards out to send the teams into intermission with the Patriots leading, 17-10.
Ewers had an impressive opening drive, going 5 for 6 with a 20-yard third-down conversion to wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. and a tight completion to Tahj Washington on third-and-8 in the red zone. That 7-yard pass, though, set up a fourth-and-1, and Ewers threw to the back of the end zone to Cedrick Wilson Jr., who couldn’t come down with the touchdown catch.
The Patriots scored first after three plays from scrimmage Sunday. Henderson scored from 5 yards away after Stevenson rolled for a 56-yard scamper on the previous play.
The Dolphins now turn to a decision on McDaniel, while they are expected to immediately jump into the GM search, with interim Champ Kelly among potential candidates.
This story will be updated.
