Before the season began, former Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick predicted the Fins could go 0-17 in 2026. After one week, he's not scrambling away from that suggestion.
On a promotional tour for Amazon Prime's first Thursday Night Football game this week, the QB-turned-analyst doubled down in comments to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Fitzpatrick's logic stems from Miami's overhauled roster, thanks to deals given out by the previous front office.
"Part of it is self-inflicted with all the dead money," Fitzpatrick told Jackson. "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."
The Dolphins lost 27-13 to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1.
Fitzpatrick noted that first-year coach Jeff Hafley's August comments about the 2026 season not being "measured by wins and losses" in Miami were telling.
"Jeff Hafley's comments and reading between the tea leaves with him saying success isn't measured by wins and losses. That said a lot," he said. "The amount of guys they claimed off waivers [seven] after that first cut. There's a lot going on that reminded me of that 2019 season there."
The 2019 Dolphins were in a supposed tanking situation under first-year coach Brian Flores. However, Fitzpatrick and Co. managed to earn five victories.
The former journeyman quarterback added that not only does the roster situation remind him of 2019, but the schedule also lends itself to a potentially difficult season in Miami.
"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 said. "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. Their other games are at San Fran, Indy and Cincy. The Jets look like they're going to be better. I just started doing the calculations and thought, 'Gosh, this is a real possibility.'
"But the people that can get in the way of a tank are the coaches and the players. And that's what happened in 2019. So I'm rooting for them to screw it up and get in the way of it. But I think 0-17 is [realistic]."
In the Super Bowl era, three teams have gone winless, excluding shortened seasons. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished 0-14 as an expansion team. The 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 Cleveland Browns each went 0-16. The NFL moved to 17 games in 2021.
Miami goes on the road to face the San Francisco 49ers (1-0) at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
