MIAMI GARDENS — It was around this time last year when the Miami Dolphins went up north for their finale to the 2024 season. Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, after the Dolphins lost to the New York Jets and were eliminated from their last-gasp hope of making the playoffs, had a locker-room outburst pleading for a way out from the team.

He later walked back those comments, everyone chalked it up as a heat-of-the-moment statement due to the sudden end of the team’s season after back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023, and he was back with the Dolphins (7-9) this season.

As this one comes to a close with Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots (13-3) at Gillette Stadium, there may not be as much drama. Miami has been eliminated from playoff contention for three weeks.

But there’s a greater chance for some real finality. Not just of a football season, but possibly of a regime, of parts of a core together for the last time with the Dolphins.

The team already moved on from former general manager Chris Grier in the middle of the season at 2-7. A full-court press of a GM search, with interim Champ Kelly a candidate and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman consulting the team, is expected to develop rapidly.

With that already on the horizon, owner Steve Ross and his trusted team of executives will have a decision to make on coach Mike McDaniel.

About an hour after the 2024 season concluded, Ross released a statement saying Grier and McDaniel were returning in 2025 but that the status quo wasn’t acceptable. McDaniel’s Dolphins need to pull off an upset, as 11-point underdogs, just to match last year’s status quo.

But Ross is known to like and believe in McDaniel, and he may look for reasons to keep him rather than reasons to part ways. That much was still the case in a Saturday morning NFL Network report.

One thought that could work in McDaniel’s favor: He has had rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers operate well since replacing Tua Tagovailoa as the starting quarterback. It could offer optimism, along with a rookie class that seems moderately promising, that McDaniel could run an effective offense when not held back by Tagovailoa’s physical limitations.

Tagovailoa’s benching feels like the beginning of the end for his time in Miami. Signed to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension ahead of the 2024 season, he is due $55 million guaranteed next season, and it would cost the Dolphins a dead cap hit of $99 million in 2026 to release him and free the franchise of the financial burden in one fell swoop.

As Tagovailoa may have already played his last game with the Dolphins, so too could be the case for Hill. He suffered a serious knee injury in September to cut his 2025 campaign short, all while it already felt the end was near for his time in Miami.

Those are just the big names — and who knows if there are more who are playing their last game with the Dolphins but just don’t know it yet?

The franchise could have a new top roster decision-maker early in the offseason to decide on the future of standouts under contract like wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, running back De’Von Achane, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, defensive tackle Zach Sieler and others. Waddle and Achane already received interest from teams around the league at the trade deadline, with Kelly deciding not to deal either.

But there are many others, with the high rate of roster turnover that exists in the NFL, who have a direct path to Sunday being their last game in a Miami uniform as their contracts are up and they head into free agency.

The impending free agents, who generally say they want to return to the Dolphins, haven’t crossed over to thinking about their offseason just yet.

“I’m just trying to finish out, play for my brothers I love,” said cornerback Rasul Douglas, who has paid dividends as a veteran signing right before season’s start. “This may be the last time I play with them, so I just want to go out there and show appreciation and gratitude for the game, just give everything you got.”

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“I’m going to miss playing with some guys, but that’s just the nature of the NFL,” said safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, who is due for free agency and said he would “definitely” like to be back with Miami.

Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. has refreshing perspective after he was back with the Dolphins as a midseason addition who was with the team in 2022 and 2023 but went to the New Orleans Saints in 2024.

“It’s just a blessed opportunity every snap you get in the NFL, so if the guys aren’t taking it like that, they’re probably doing the wrong thing,” Wilson said before Sunday against the Patriots. “Everybody in the world wants to do what athletes and entertainers do, so why not just take advantage of it.”

For a player like linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who hasn’t had much playing time on defense, any few chances he gets could lead to an opportunity in the future, possibly elsewhere if not with the Dolphins

“If I play a lot, I’m ready. If I don’t play at all, I’m still thankful. I just love football,” Gay said.

Starting weakside linebacker Jordyn Brooks is questionable entering Sunday. If he doesn’t play, that’s an opening for Gay.

Beyond Ewers, there are several young players who could be showcased in the finale. A backfield combination of second-year running back Jaylen Wright and rookie Ollie Gordon II would be in order if Achane, who is doubtful to play through a shoulder injury, can’t go.

Waddle is questionable with his rib injury, so that could mean targets again for undrafted rookie wideout Theo Wease Jr. or second-year receiver Tahj Washington.

With Darren Waller placed on injured reserve, fellow tight ends Greg Dulcich and Julian Hill figure to be featured.

As outside linebacker Chop Robinson is in concussion protocol and fellow outside linebacker Quinton Bell is questionable due to illness, Derrick McLendon could see his first NFL regular-season action.

Sunday’s game against the Patriots could be significant both for how many firsts and how many lasts are seen.

Roster moves

The Dolphins elevated McLendon and running back Jeff Wilson Jr. from the practice squad to the game-day roster for Sunday against the Patriots.

McLendon was also elevated last week against the Buccaneers, but Miami had him as a healthy inactive for the game. Wilson provides a third running back behind Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II with Achane doubtful and recent signing Donovan Edwards likely to be inactive.

Kicker Jason Sanders was not activated off IR before the finale, so he misses the entire 2025 season as Riley Patterson will finish out the year.