Ranking Dolphins Reunion Games After Sanders Joins Jets

Jason Sanders didn't stay unemployed very long.

The former Miami Dolphins kicker signed with the New York Jets one day after he was released by the New York Giants.

Miami's divisional rival released fellow kicker Younghoe Koo, who missed 45- and 53-yard kicks during practice Tuesday.

In less than 24 hours, Sanders went from looking for a team to having a chance to compete for a spot on the Jets' roster, which means he could face his former team twice this upcoming season.

As Short A Move As You Can Make

The Jets had to bring in another kicker to their roster after losing their starting kicker from 2025, Nick Folk, earlier this offseason to Atlanta. Now, Sanders will battle for the job with Cade York, who signed with the Jets back in March.

Sanders had been the kicker for the Dolphins since they selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft. With Miami, he made 187 of 221 field goals attempted — a franchise-record 84.6 percentage rate. He made a 58-yard field goal in the 2024 preseason, though his longest regular season field goal was a 57-yard kick against Dallas in 2023.

In 2019, he even caught a touchdown pass from then-punter Matt Haack in a win against the Philadelphia Eagles.

He had been the consistent answer at the kicker position for Miami until 2025 when he missed the entire season due to a hip injury. Ultimately, he was released by the Dolphins in March. The Dolphins will now turn to either Riley Patterson, who set a single-season record for accuracy last year after replacing Sanders, or free agent acquisition Zane Gonzalez.

Ranking the Top Five 2026 Dolphins Reunion Games

If Sanders wins the kicker battle with the Jets, he'll have to kick against the Dolphins as soon as Week 7 in East Rutherford, then Week 12 at Hard Rock Stadium. Had Sanders stayed with the Giants, he still would have returned to Hard Rock Stadium during the second preseason game.

Sanders will be one of many former Dolphins players and coaches to move to a new team this offseason, who will just so happen to take on their former squad. So, we went ahead and ranked some of the matchups that will feature the "revenge on Miami" storyline.

HM - Whatever Team WR Tyreek Hill Joins

Hill has not signed with a team yet. However, he's been linked to signing with Kansas City, Denver, and the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Dolphins take on all three teams in 2026.

5. New York Jets (S Minkah Fitzpatrick, K Jason Sanders)

Sanders will bring a mild storyline to the matchup, which could escalate if he has to attempt a game-winning field goal. The real storyline here involves Fitzpatrick, who was traded to the Jets back in March. Now a two-time former member of Miami, he'll look to lead the safety position in New York and still has the talent to do so.

4. Buffalo Bills (EDGE Bradley Chubb)

The Dolphins were all in on Chubb when they traded for him during the 2022 season. He earned a Pro Bowl spot in the same season and recorded multiple career-highs in 2023 - 73 total tackles, 22 QB hits, and six forced fumbles. In Buffalo, he'll likely be part of a dangerous trio featuring him, Terrel Bernard, and Greg Rousseau when they take on Miami in Weeks 11 and 17.

3. Los Angeles Chargers (OC Mike McDaniel, FB Alec Ingold, OG Cole Strange)

The Week 16 matchup between Miami and L.A. will feature the Dolphins' former head coach for four years, who is now the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, and will be mentoring a quarterback that the Dolphins passed up on all those years ago, Justin Herbert.

In addition to McDaniel, the Chargers also brought in Ingold, a 2023 Pro Bowl fullback who will have no competition at the position in LA. Strange played in 808 offensive snaps for the Dolphins in 2025, earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 54.9 — 58th among 81 qualified offensive guards.

2. Denver Broncos (WR Jaylen Waddle)

If Miami's wide receiver room from 2022 onward was a PB&J, Waddle was the jelly. He and Tyreek Hill defined Tua's wide receiver room during his tenure, especially during the 2025 season when Hill had to battle through injuries. As a fan favorite, many had hoped Waddle could retire a member of the Dolphins.

However, the Dolphins shipped him out west to Denver for a haul of draft picks. There's no doubt he'll end up as either the WR1 or WR2 on the team, being paired with Courtland Sutton with QB Bo Nix leading the charge.

The Broncos made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game last season, and this was a big move to get them over that hump. In their way will be the Dolphins, who Denver will host on Week 13. Out of all the players on this list who could have a big game against their former team, Waddle is in the perfect position to do so against a Miami secondary with more questions than answers.

1. Green Bay Packers (QB Malik Willis, HC Jeff Hafley, DC Sean Duggan, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, & More)

Without question, the biggest reunion game on the schedule will be when Miami travels to Green Bay in Week 15, five days before Christmas. The list of former players and coaches who will head back to Lambeau Field also includes assistant linebackers coach Wendel Davis, defensive backs / passing game coordinator Ryan Downard, and safety Zayne Anderson.

The Packers will still be led by QB Jordan Love under the direction of HC Matt LaFleur, but the loss of players and staff from Miami alone is extensive. They've still loaded up the roster, headlined by former Minnesota DT Javon Hargrave. After losing to Chicago in the Wild Card last season, they'll look to reach the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2020.

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