Paying Tribute to Two Former Longtime Dolphins Players

The Miami Dolphins said goodbye to two of their longest-tenured players Friday, releasing kicker Jason Sanders and fullback Alec Ingold.

Sanders and Ingold spent a combined 12 seasons with the Dolphins organization. Sanders, a 2020 All-Pro, appeared in 116 games for the franchise after being selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft. Ingold, a three-time team captain, spent four seasons with Miami after signing as a free agent in 2022.

Sanders Closes His Chapter in South Florida

Sanders converted at least 81 percent of his field goal attempts in five of his seven seasons as Miami’s kicker. He was at his best during his 2020 All-Pro season, when he made 36 of 39 field goal attempts, including 8 of 9 from at least 50 yards.

Sanders holds the franchise record with 27-straight made field goals, and his 84.6 field goal percentage is the best in Dolphins history. His 826 total points rank third in team history, and his 187 made field goals trail only Orlindo Mare, who made 245 during his 10 seasons with Miami.

“To the Miami Dolphins organization, coaches, staff, and teammates, after eight amazing years in Miami, it is hard to put into words what this journey has meant to me,” Sanders wrote on Instagram. “I have loved every single moment of being a Dolphin, and I am grateful to have called Hard Rock Stadium my home for the past eight years.”

Sanders’ top performance came Dec. 24, 2023, when he helped Miami punch a ticket to the postseason with five field goals in a 22-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He was perfect on all five attempts, including three from at least 50 yards.

The Dolphins posted a video on social media celebrating Sanders. It featured his fifth and final field goal against Dallas — a 29-yard game-winner with time expiring. It wasn’t the first time Sanders delivered with the playoffs on the line, either.

8 seasons as a Dolphin.

Thank you, @jasonsanders 🤝 pic.twitter.com/CSJD3Qzn21
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) March 6, 2026

One year earlier, Sanders made all three of his field goal attempts in Miami’s Week 18 11-6 win over the New York Jets. His 50-yard field goal with 18 seconds left broke a 6-6 tie before an end-of-game safety sealed the win, which sent the Dolphins to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

“To the fans, thank you for your support over the years and all of the memories that I’ll never forget,” Sanders wrote. “While this chapter in South Florida is coming to a close, I look forward to what’s next.”

Earlier in his career, Sanders was involved in “Mountaineer Shot,” which was named the NFL play of the year for the 2019 season. In Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Matt Haack threw a touchdown pass to Sanders in the second quarter of Miami’s 37-31 win.

The fourth-down play marked the first time a punter threw a touchdown pass to a kicker.

Haack to @jasonsanderss for the Mountaineer Shot!

The @Bridgestone Clutch Performance Play of the Year.

📺: #NFLHonors | Tonight at 8PM ET on FOXpic.twitter.com/Qb82d2X8gn
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) February 1, 2020

Sanders was unable to play in 2025 due to a preseason hip injury, but made 37 of 41 field goal attempts in 2024. His 90.2 field goal percentage was the second-highest of his career, and he converted 12 of 14 attempts from at least 50 yards.

Ingold Grateful for His Time in Miami

Like Sanders, Ingold reflected on his time in Miami in a social media post.

“From the moment we arrived, you welcomed me and my family with open arms,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’m grateful for the fans, the community, my teammates, coaches, and support staff whom made our time here purposeful.”

Ingold went undrafted out of Wisconsin and spent three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders before joining the Dolphins on a two-year, $6.5 million contract in 2022. He signed a three-year extension worth $12.2 million after earning a spot in the 2023 Pro Bowl.

Ingold scored the first rushing touchdown of his career in Miami’s 31-27 win over the Detroit Lions on Oct. 30, 2022, but never touched the ball more than 21 times in any of his four seasons in South Florida. That being said, the stat sheet isn’t the best way to gauge his impact.

He was voted a team captain three times and also earned the Don Shula Leadership Award in 2023. Ingold was a two-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his work supporting the South Florida community.

“The support never went unnoticed,” Ingold wrote. “I hope our work on the field and off gave back a fraction of what y’all gave us. This chapter may be ending, but the appreciation and respect will always remain.”

Inspiring others to be the best version of themselves.

This is the Alec Ingold story. pic.twitter.com/YlEDsnXhql
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) February 8, 2024