How Tua’s Return Made This Preseason Schedule Noteworthy

The preseason schedule more often than not is pretty standard fare for the Miami Dolphins, but the 2026 slate will be jazzed up by the Tua Tagovailoa return to Hard Rock Stadium.

Tua and his new team, the Atlanta Falcons, will come to Miami on Friday, August 28 for the preseason finale for both teams. The Dolphins’ starting quarterback for the past five-plus seasons, Tagovailoa figures to be involved in a battle with incumbent Michael Penix Jr. and it just might be that it could need a big performance against his former team to beat him out.

Tagovailoa joined the Falcons after the Dolphins released him this offseason.

Also back in Miami during the preseason will be kicker Jason Sanders, who was the team’s longest-tenured player before he was released in February and subsequently signed with the New York Giants. The Dolphins will face the Giants on Saturday, August 22 in the first of their two home games next preseason.

The preseason schedule will kick off against the Washington Commanders on Friday, August 14 at Northwest Stadium.

For Miami, it’s a full NFC slate this time around, including two members of the NFC East. Unlike the 2025 preseason, the Dolphins will host two out of the three games at Hard Rock Stadium. 

View this tidbit however you will, but Miami has been a respectable team in the preseason. Since 2024, the Dolphins have a record of 4-1-1, including a tie against Chicago and back-to-back wins over Detroit and Jacksonville to close out 2025. 

DOLPHINS 2026 PRESEASON OPPONENTS

Washington Commanders – Friday, August 14, 7 p.m.

While Miami defeated Washington during the 2024 preseason, their previous meeting was 20 years earlier in 2004. All time, the Dolphins have a 10-5 record against the Commanders in the preseason, dating back to 1970.

Washington will be looking in 2026 to return to the NFC Championship game. After falling against Philadelphia in the penultimate game a couple of seasons ago, Washington regressed in 2025, going 5-12. 

A mixture of key injuries to players like QB Jayden Daniels and WR Terry McLaurin, alongside a below-average defense, kept them out of the playoffs. From Week 7 to Week 10, Washington lost all four games by 20 or more points. 

It might be too early to say that HC Dan Quinn’s seat is hot, but the Commanders will need to improve. Their biggest splash in the offseason was signing DE Odafe Oweh to a four-year, $100 million contract. Their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft was Ohio State LB Sonny Styles.

New York Giants – Saturday, August 22, 4 p.m.

The first preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium will come against the New York Giants. It’s been a while since these teams met in the preseason, with the last battle being a 27-10 win for Miami in 2016. In fact, the Dolphins have never lost to the Giants in the preseason; they’re 7-0 all time dating back to 1975. 

Going 4-13 overall in 2025, the Giants fired HC Brian Daboll after going 2-8. Their biggest splash in the offseason has to be their new head coach, John Harbaugh, who they hired after he spent 18 seasons in Baltimore, winning Super Bowl XLVII.

They have since bulked up their roster, signing players such as LB Tremaine Edmunds and WR Darnell Mooney. In the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, the Giants selected both Ohio State edge Rusher Arvell Reese and Miami OL Francis Mauigoa, who will be making his own return to Hard Rock Stadium.

Atlanta Falcons – Friday, August 28, 7 p.m.

The Falcons are a common opponent for the Dolphins in the preseason, having played them 21 times since 1967. Miami has a 12-9 overall record against the Falcons in the preseason, including a 20-13 win in 2024. 

The Falcons will be led by new head coach Kevin Stefanski, coming in after six seasons leading Cleveland and finishing with a 45-56 overall record. There’s no doubt their running game should be solid. Bijan Robinson had a stellar season in 2025, and they’ve brought in Brian Robinson Jr. to provide a nasty one-two punch for their ground game.

All in all, Atlanta had a mediocre 2025 season, going 8-9. Their last appearance in the payoffs was in 2017, so that has to be the benchmark for the Falcons this season.