When the Dolphins Had Their Own Rescinded Trades ... And More Crosby Fallout

The Miami Dolphins still might wind up after to face Maxx Crosby after all in 2026.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Arden Key (99) and Maxx Crosby (98) against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium in a 2020 game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins' moving on from Tua Tagovailoa stood as maybe the biggest story in the NFL this week, but that's been blown out of the water by the bizarre saga involving the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Maxx Crosby.

In the unlikely event you're not aware — because you're more focused on the Dolphins — the Ravens rescinded a trade that would have sent Crosby to Baltimore in exchange for two first-round picks, only to quickly turn around and pick up the next-best pass rusher available, Trey Hendrickson, in free agency.

The claim was that Crosby failed a physical, which was to be expected and should have been known when the trade was agreed to, because he underwent knee surgery toward the end of last season.

The Dolphins have some experience with rescinded trades, with two instances that come to mind, one in the 1980s when Don Shula was head coach, and the other is way more recent.

WHEN THE DOLPHINS HAD TRADES RESCINDED

In August 2020, the Dolphins were planning on releasing running back Kalen Ballage after he struggled the previous season, but instead sent him to the New York Jets for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 201 NFL draft.

But Ballage was returned to the Dolphins, and the trade rescinded after he apparently failed a physical, and Miami ended up simply waiving Ballage among their cuts to 53.

Lo and behold, the Jets then signed Ballage, and he appeared in three games in that 2020 season before he had stints with the Chargers and Steelers the following two seasons.

Back in 1984, after the Dolphins manhandled the two-time NFC defending champion Washington in their opener and defeated the New England Patriots for a 2-0 start, Shula swung a trade for running back Chuck Muncie by sending a second-round pick to the San Diego Chargers.

Muncie was a highly talented and versatile running back coming off a 13-touchdown season, but he dealt with substance abuse issues and had been sent home for San Diego's second game of the season after missing the team flight.

When Muncie failed a urinalysis, the Dolphins voided the trade and sent Muncie back to San Diego, though he never played again in the NFL.

The following week, the Dolphins went back to the Chargers and sent them that second-round pick again for another running back, Pete Johnson, who would go on to score nine touchdowns in 13 games for the Dolphins team that would reach Super Bowl XIX.

CONTENDING WITH CROSBY

What the nullified trade of Crosby means for the Dolphins now is that they might wind up having to face him after all.

The Dolphins don't have the Baltimore Ravens on their 2026 schedule, but they do have the Raiders scheduled to play at Hard Rock Stadium if Las Vegas decides to keep him.

If he does get traded again, we'll have to see his next team to figure out if the Dolphins will have to play against him, which they've already done four times — in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. The Dolphins were 3-1 in those games, losing only the 2021 matchup at Las Vegas.