Dolphins to Hold Joint Practices with Atlanta

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores reaffirmed last week that he likes joint practices in training camp, and he'll get his wish this summer.

New Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith revealed Tuesday morning that his team will be having practices with the Dolphins this summer.

Smith reveals the #Falcons will have joint practices with the #Dolphins.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) June 8, 2021

While no details are known yet, the Dolphins and Falcons are scheduled to play a preseason game Aug. 21 in Miami, so logic would suggest the teams will practice together at the Dolphins' new training facility adjacent to Hard Rock Stadium.

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Based on precedent, the Dolphins and Falcons are likely to practice with each other Aug. 18-19 before the customary non-practice day before the game. The Dolphins also will face Atlanta in the regular season, Oct. 24 at Hard Rock Stadium one week after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, England.

The Dolphins and Falcons had discussions about joint practices last summer as well, but those plans had to be scrapped because of COVID-19 considerations.

The game against Atlanta will be the only one at Hard Rock Stadium for the Dolphins, who will play at Chicago on Aug. 14 and at Cincinnati on Aug. 29.

"I’m always in favor of doing joint practices," Flores said last week. "I think they bring a lot from a camaraderie standpoint, from a competitive standpoint. I think you can get a lot out of those. I know we did with Tampa a couple of years ago and my experience is you get a lot out of those and it kind of breaks up training camp in a good way, in a positive way.”

Indeed, the Dolphins practiced with the Buccaneers in August 2019 before the teams' preseason game at Raymond James Stadium.

Before that, the Dolphins had joint practices with the Eagles in Philadelphia in 2017 and with the Carolina Panthers in Spartansburg, South Carolina, in 2015.