Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins series history, common connections

The Buffalo Bills (6-2) face the Miami Dolphins (2-7) at Hard Rock Stadium in South Beach on Sunday afternoon in a 1 p.m. EST battle of teams on opposite ends of the playoff picture.

Before Sunday’s game,

let’s revisit the series history, relive some of the more memorable matchups, break down those common connections, and go through the list of players who played for both teams. Hint: there are 102 players who saw action for both the Bills and Dolphins.

Bills vs. Dolphins series history

This matchup features two storied franchises with ties to the American Football League (AFL). Buffalo was one of the inaugural members of the AFL in 1960, while the Miami Dolphins became an expansion franchise starting with the 1966 season.

The Bills and Dolphins have met 124 times before, with Miami holding a slim 62-61-1 edge in the all-time series. The Bills have won the last seven matchups against their AFC East counterparts, and 14 of the last 15 contests, including a 34-31 triumph in the Wild Card round of the 2022 season.

In their first meeting this year, on Thursday Night Football, quarterback Josh Allen had three passing touchdowns, including a go-ahead 15-yarder to wide receiver Khalil Shakir halfway through the fourth quarter that snapped a 21-all tie. The go-ahead drive was kept alive when Miami defensive tackle Zach Sieler ran into punter Cameron Johnston, and five plays later Shakir found the end zone.

With the Dolphins driving, linebacker Terrel Bernard sealed the win by picking off quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with three minutes remaining, as the Bills won their third straight to start the 2025 NFL season.

Running back James Cook became the first back to eclipse 100 rushing yards against Miami’s defense in the last 36 games, finishing with 108 rushing yard and a touchdown. Allen would complete 22 of 28 passes for 213 yards, including touchdown tosses to tight ends Dalton Kincaid and rookie Jackson Hawes while running his career record against Miami to 14-2.

The Bills prevailed despite allowing the Dolphins’ offense to convert on 10 of 15 third-down opportunities. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins were held in check for much of the night, as he passed for only 146 yards on his 22 completions (an average of 4.3 yards per completion). The Dolphins were led by wide receivers Tyreek Hill (5 catches for 49 yards and a TD) and Jaylen Waddle (5 catches for 39 yards and a TD), and running back De’Von Achane (12 rushes for 62 yards).

The last time these teams met in South Beach was Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, and the Bills squished the Fish 31-10 on Thursday Night Football.

James Cook accounted for three first-half touchdowns (two rushing and one receiving) to match a franchise record as the Bills raced out to a 24-10 halftime lead. Cook caught a 17-yard TD pass from Josh Allen and scored on runs of 1 and 49 yards as Buffalo took advantage of a sloppy Miami team, converting a pair of first-half turnovers into 10 points. On the Dolphins’ first possession, defensive back Ja’Marcus Ingram intercepted Tagovailoa’s pass, setting up Cook’s receiving touchdown. Then, cornerback Christian Benford intercepted Tagovaiola, leading to a 43-yard Tyler Bass field goal and a 10-7 Bills lead early in the second quarter.

The turnovers continued for the Dolphins in the third quarter. For the second time in the game, Ingram picked off a Tagovailoa pass, and this time, he returned it 31 yards for a touchdown to close out the scoring. It was Tagovailoa’s third career game with three interceptions.

The Bills’ defense did a great job containing Tyreek Hill, as the speedster managed only three catches for 24 yards. Buffalo also knocked Tagovailoa from the game after the quarterback suffered a concussion in the third quarter. Tagovailoa finished the game 17-of-25 with one touchdown and three interceptions, while De’Von Achane rushed 22 times for 96 yards and caught seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Allen, playing with a glove on his left non-throwing hand after hurting it in Buffalo’s opener, completed 13 of 19 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. Cook rushed for 78 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns, while Khalil Shakir (five catches for 54 yards) was Buffalo’s leading receiver. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver and edge rushser Von Miller each recorded sacks, while safety Damar Hamlin, plus linebackers Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector each finished with 10 tackles in the win.

Fun fact: The Bills and Dolphins’ first-ever meeting came in Week 3 of the 1966 season, Miami’s first as a member of the AFL. Buffalo, the two-time defending AFL champions, raced out to a 21-0 lead thanks to a Jack Kemp one-yard rushing touchdown and two touchdowns from cornerback Butch Byrd: a 60-yard interception return and a 72-yard punt return.

Miami got on the scoreboard with a field goal late in the opening quarter, but the Bills’ offense picked up where it left off, tacking on three more touchdowns to seize a 41-3 lead. Kemp connected with wide receiver Bobby Crockett on a 26-yard TD pass and running back Bobby Burnett scored on runs of one- and three-yards. Buffalo would take a 48-10 lead into halftime after running back Jack Spikes’ 11-yard rushing touchdown, and the Bills would breeze to a 58-24 victory at War Memorial Stadium. The scoring output still stands as a franchise record for most points scored in a single game.

Buffalo’s offense amassed 508 total yards, with the Bills rushing for 179 yards and passing for 329 yards. Kemp completed 13 of 26 passes for 226 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he added a rushing touchdown. Burnett rushed 14 times for 64 yards with a pair of touchdown, Spikes ran three times for 53 yards with a touchdown, wide receiver Elbert Dubenion hauled in five passes for 101 yards, and Crockett caught two passes for 70 yards as Buffalo picked up its first win of the year. Besides Byrd’s pick-six, linebackers Mike Stratton and Harry Jacobs each picked off Rick Norton, who completed only 3 of 10 passes for 17 yards with three interceptions before being replaced by George Wilson.

The Bills would go on to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFL title game that year, as Kansas City wound up representing the AFL in the first Super Bowl.

Franchise Comparison

Who has played for both the Bills and Dolphins?

There are a total of 102 players who appeared in a game for both the Bills and Dolphins. When Miami entered the league as an expansion franchise for the 1966 season, they featured seven former Bills players:

Running back Joe Auer (1964-65 with the Bills, 1966-67 with the Dolphins)
Running back Cookie Gilchrist (1962-64 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Running back Billy Joe (1965 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Offensive lineman Ken Rice (1961-63 with the Bills, 1966-67 with the Dolphins)
Wide receiver Bo Roberson (1965 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Defensive end Laverne Torczon (1960-62 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Defensive back Willie West (1962-63 with the Bills, 1966-68 with the Dolphins)

There are four current Bills or Dolphins players with experience playing for both teams on one of their active rosters:

Linebacker Tyrel Dodson (2020-23 with the Bills, 2024-25 with the Dolphins)
Cornerback Rasul Douglas (2023-24 with the Bills, 2025 with the Dolphins)
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (2015-18 with the Dolphins, 2018-25 with the Bills)
Safety Jordan Poyer (2017-25 with the Bills, 2024 with the Dolphins).

Among the other notable players with ties to both the Bills and Dolphins:

Linebacker Kiko Alonso (2013 with the Bills, 2016-18 with the Dolphins)
Running back Joe Auer (1964-65 with the Bills, 1966-67 with the Dolphins)
Running back Jim Braxton (1971-78 with the Bills, 1978 with the Dolphins)
Quarterback Marlin Briscoe (1969-71 with the Bills, 1972-74 with the Dolphins)
Running back Reggie Bush (2011-12 with the Dolphins, 2016 with the Bills)
Kicker Dan Carpenter (2008-12 with the Dolphins, 2013-16 with the Bills)
Tight end Charles Clay (2011-14 with the Dolphins, 2015-18 with the Bills)
Running back Joe Cribbs (1980-85 with the Bills, 1988 with the Dolphins)
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson (2020-23 with the Bills, 2024-25 with the Dolphins)
Cornerback Rasul Douglas (2023-24 with the Bills, 2025 with the Dolphins)
Defensive tackle Jim Dunaway (1963-71 with the Bills, 1972 with the Dolphins)
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (2009-12 with the Bills, 2019-20 with the Dolphins)
Running back Cookie Gilchrist (1962-64 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Running back Frank Gore (2018 with the Dolphins, 2019 with the Bills)
Punter Matt Haack (2017-20 with the Dolphins, 2021 with the Bills)
Wide receiver Mack Hollins (2019-21 with the Dolphins, 2024 with the Bills)
Guard Richie Incognito (2009-17 with the Bills, 2010-13 with the Dolphins)
Running back Billy Joe (1965 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Punter John Kidd (1984-89 with the Bills, 1994-97 with the Dolphins)
Defensive end Howard Kindig (1967-71 with the Bills, 1972 with the Dolphins)
Defensive end Shaq Lawson (2016-23 with the Bills, 2020 with the Dolphins)
Quarterback J.P. Losman (2004-08 with the Bills, 2011 with the Dolphins)
Running back Sammy Morris (2000-03 with the Bills, 2004-06 with the Dolphins)
Guard Jamie Nails (1997-2000 with the Bills, 2002-03 with the Dolphins)
Defensive back Siran Neal (2018-23 with the Bills, 2024 with the Dolphins)
Linebacker Keith Newman (1999-2002 with the Bills, 2006 with the Dolphins)
Tight end Nick O’Leary (2015-17 with the Bills, 2018-19 with the Dolphins)
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (2015-18 with the Dolphins, 2018-25 with the Bills)
Safety Jordan Poyer (2017-25 with the Bills, 2024 with the Dolphins)
Offensive lineman Ken Rice (1961-63 with the Bills, 1966-67 with the Dolphins)
Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard (2011-12 with the Bills, 2014-15 with the Dolphins)
Offensive lineman Marcus Spriggs (1997-2000 with the Bills, 2001-02 with the Dolphins)
Running back Thurman Thomas (1988-1999 with the Bills, 1999 with the Dolphins)
Defensive back Travares Tillman (2000-01 with the Bills, 2005-07 with the Dolphins)
Defensive end Laverne Torczon (1960-62 with the Bills, 1966 with the Dolphins)
Guard Kraig Urbik (2010-15 with the Bills, 2016 with the Dolphins)
Defensive back Troy Vincent (1992-95 with the Dolphins, 2004-06 with the Bills)
Defensive back Willie West (1962-63 with the Bills, 1966-68 with the Dolphins)
Defensive end Mario Williams (2012-15 with the Bills, 2016 with the Dolphins)