NFL Reveals Date and Time For Patriots Regular Season Finale

FOXBOROUGH, MA. — As the New England Patriots (13-3) continue to bask in the glow of their dominant 42-10 victory over the New York Jets in Week 17, the time and date of their regular-season finale has at long last been confirmed.

The Pats, per the NFL, will close out their 2025 regulation slate by hosting the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET. This Week 18 matchup will be the second and final meeting between the two teams. The Patriots previously beat the Dolphins 33-27 in Week 2.

Despite having clinched both a playoff spot, and their first AFC East division title since 2019, New England will still be highly motivated to earn a victory in Week 18. The Pats remain in contention to secure the top overall playoff seed in the conference — along with the Denver Broncos, who also possess a 13-3 record. The Broncos will host the Los Angeles Chargers in their regular-season finale at Empower Field at Mile High — also to be played in the 4:25pm ET time slot.

For the Patriots to earn the one seed, along with a first-round playoff bye, they would need to beat the Dolphins, while the Broncos lose to the Chargers. Though both teams currently possess identical records, the tiebreaker would be awarded to Denver due to its superior record in games against common opponents.

In the final analysis, the Pats path through the playoffs may begin in one of three potential starting points. As the current holders of the second seed, the Pats could ascend to the top spot (based on the aforementioned scenario), remain at the two spot, or they could slide to third shoudl they lose to Miami, in tandem with the Jacksonville Jaguars gaining a victory over Tennessee Titans in the 1 p.m. ET window.

Patriots Are AFC East Division Champions for the First Time Since 2019

Dec 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III (86) celebrates his touchdown catch against the New York Jets with New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half of the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Still, the postseason-bound Patriots’ 2025 NFL season has been nothing short of spectacular — no matter their playoff seeding. With their decisive win over the Jets — as well as the Buffalo Bills’ heart-pounding 13-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles — the Pats secured the division championship for the first time since 2019. It was New England’s 22nd division title since 1970 — tying them with the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers for the second most in the NFL since that time. The Pittsburgh Steelers are still the record holders at 24 division titles during that span.

At 13-3, the Patriots have enjoyed one of the most improbable, yet dramatic turnarounds in NFL history. After consecutive 4-13 finishes in 2023 and 2024, the Pats hired Mike Vrabel as the 16th head coach in franchise history. Instilling both an aggressive style of football on the field, as well as a culture of accountability throughout the team, the Patriots have become one of the most exciting and fundamentally-sound football teams in the league.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!