Happy New Year, Fins Fans!

As the clock struck midnight, ushering us into a brand-new year, Miami Dolphins fans everywhere toasted not just to 2025, but also to something even more remarkable: somehow the Dolphins are still playing meaningful football in January despite the tragic start to the season in September! That’s right, folks—the Dolphins are alive, kicking, and flipping their way into the final week of the NFL regular season, still in contention for the final playoff spot.

For those unfamiliar with the emotional rollercoaster that is being a Dolphins fan, allow me to explain. Imagine buying a lottery ticket, losing it in the washing machine, finding it intact, and then realizing you only matched three numbers but somehow still qualify for a second-chance drawing. That’s what being a Dolphins fan in Week 18 feels like.

The Fins Are Still Swimming!

I personally wrote this season off only 5 days after the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the opening week as we all watched with abject horror as Tua Tagovailoa laid on the field in a supine concussed position. It was the absolute worst case scenario that fins fans were dreading and it happened at home against the hated Buffalo Bills. To me it was tank time because our chances of making the playoffs were virtually nil after that collision with Damar Hamlin. Yet somehow, here we are! Going into the final climactic week of the season with a reasonable chance of making the playoffs. Let me be clear, no one is expecting the Dolphins to make the playoffs. It is still more likely than not that the Broncos will beat the Chiefs this weekend with Patrick Mahomes sitting out the game. However, I am saying there is a chance and we have seen crazier things happen.

A Tua-Sized Hole in Our Hearts.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Dolphins season without a little drama. Unfortunately, this week’s plot twist comes with some heartbreak: Tua Tagovailoa won’t be suiting up for the finale due to an untimely hip injury. Yes, just when we thought the football gods might cut us some slack, they remind us that Dolphins fandom is a full-contact sport—emotionally, at least.

Tua has been the heart and soul of this team for most of the year, leading us with precision passes, unshakable poise, and the kind of efficient quarterback play Miami fans have been asking for since the big plays dried up. Tua’s absence is a blow, no doubt. But as Tua recovers, his sideline support and leadership have been just as vital as his on-field heroics. And hey, if there’s one thing Dolphins fans know, it’s how to rally behind the next man up. We are used to the nonstop carousel of quarterbacks that have come through Miami since Marino retired. Based on what I am hearing, it sounds like this hip injury is a real issue and Tua is likely done for the season whether we make the playoffs or not. The team has not come out and said that due to competitive reasons, but it is quite clear that we are riding with Tyler “Snoop’ Huntley moving forward. It is putting Tua in the awkward position of appearing to choose to not play when he can play through the hip injury, but that is the fault of the way the team is communicating about this to not let the Jets know who they will be facing on Sunday in the finale. However, Tua is likely done for the season. Which puts us in virtually the same position we were in two years ago in Mike McDaniel’s first season with Miami.

Tua missed a lot of time in that first McDaniel season as well due to concussions and another concussion knocked Tua out for the rest of the season after the Christmas game against Green Bay in 2022. So, the Dolphins needed a win against the Jets in the final week of the season with their backup QB (Skylar Thompson at the time) in order to get into the tournament. The Dolphins were able to get the win thanks to numerous field goals by Jason Sanders and the fins were rewarded with the 7th seed and a trip to the 2nd seeded Buffalo Bills’ freezing stadium in January. Which is the exact same situation the Dolphins will find themselves in this time around if they find a way to win and somehow the Broncos lose to the Chiefs on Sunday.

Whether it’s a gutsy backup like Snoop Huntley stepping into the spotlight or a creative playbook adjustment from Coach McDaniel, this team has proven it can adapt when adversity strikes. Will it be pretty? Who knows? Will it be dramatic? Absolutely!

Enjoying the Ride.

This year, Miami’s season has been as unpredictable as Florida weather. One moment, we were soaring on the fins of Tyreek Hill’s jet-fueled sprints; the next, we were questioning if we’d accidentally angered a football deity who decided to sprinkle injuries and bizarre losses into the mix. One minute we are celebrating the Dolphins with a come from behind win over the Jags, the next we are terrified at another Tua concussion. One minute we are tailgating preparing for a fun game at Hard Rock Stadium, the next minute, Tyreek Hill is getting roughed up by local police and reaggravating a wrist injust that he just had surgery on. One minute the season looked like it was completely over after terrible losses to the Colts and Titans, the next minute, Tua is back and we are back in the hunt thanks to a win streak, followed by another untimely loss that looks like a for sure knockout blow to playoff hopes. Yet here we are, alive and ready to fight for that coveted wild-card spot.

So, how do we, as proud Fins fans, celebrate this strange yet glorious position?

1. Break Out the Aqua and Orange: Dust off that Dan Marino jersey or rock your vintage Zach Thomas gear. Bonus points if you’ve got the 90s OG Starter jacket.

2. Believe in the Football Gods: Light a teal-and-orange candle, say a prayer, and maybe sacrifice a Jets hat (metaphorically, of course).

3. Prepare for the Emotional Ride: Whether it’s a nail-biter, a blowout, or something only the Dolphins can conjure, Week 18 promises to be entertaining. Stock up on snacks and stress balls.

    

   

   The Final Push

   The good news? Our beloved Fins control their destiny—or at least some of it. With a little help from the football universe and a lot of heart, we could be looking at a postseason berth. And if not, well, we’ll still have Tyreek Hill’s highlights, Tua’s comeback story, and that inexplicable game against the Broncos where we dropped 70 points as all-time bragging rights over Denver.

   So here’s to the Miami Dolphins and their fans—the most resilient, passionate, and eternally optimistic group in sports. Happy New Year, Fins Nation! May 2025 bring us wins, playoffs, and maybe even a Lombardi Trophy. Just kidding. The new year just started, I am not going to push it