Former quarterback and current Amazon Prime analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't backing down from his preseason prediction that the Miami Dolphins could finish the 2026 season 0-17.
The Dolphins lost 27-13 to the Las Vegas Raiders in their season opener, which also marked Jeff Hafley's head coaching debut in the NFL.
Fitzpatrick sees parallels between the current Dolphins roster and the 2019 squad that entered coach Brian Flores' first season with low expectations. Despite those doubts, Fitzpatrick helped lead Miami to five wins.
"We started 0-7 (in 2019). We lost the first four games by an average of 34 points a game. A game! We were not even given the chance to succeed," Fitzpatrick told the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson. "So 0-17 I feel is within reach, and part of it is because of who they're playing. They're playing the NFC North and AFC West, which I think is really important."
The Dolphins will try to earn their first win of the season Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Miami hosts the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 27 and then faces the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals in the following weeks.
Fitzpatrick's skepticism about the Dolphins stems from their overhauled roster after the previous front office parted ways with several key starters over the past two seasons.
"Part of it is self-inflicted with all the dead money," Fitzpatrick said. "They've got over $180 million in dead cap. Tua (Tagovailoa), Tyreek (Hill), Jaylen Waddle, (Bradley) Chubb, (Jalen) Ramsey, Minkah (Fitzpatrick) - all those guys that are on the books but not on the roster; that's part of it."
Fitzpatrick said he's still hoping the Dolphins can prove him wrong.
"The people that can get in the way of a tank are the coaches and the players. And that's what happened in 2019. I'm rooting for them to screw it up and get in the way of it. But I think 0-17 is (realistic)," Fitzpatrick said.
