The Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins have a long-standing rivalry in the NFL that has spanned several decades. This rivalry has seen some of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, including Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, go head-to-head.

Let’s take a closer look at the history of this rivalry, their all-time record against each other, how the rivalry slowed down during the New England Patriots and Tom Brady era, and how it has picked up in recent years.

History of the Rivalry

The Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins first faced each other on September 18, 1966, in the Dolphins' inaugural season. Since then, they have played each other twice a year in the regular season as division rivals in the AFC East. This rivalry really started to heat up in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Jim Kelly and Dan Marino were the quarterbacks for the Bills and the Dolphins, respectively.

These two Hall of Fame quarterbacks had some epic battles. Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills usually came out on top over the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino. One of the greatest parts of this rivalry was Kelly and Marino were actually good friends off the field. It’s not too often that both the Bills and Dolphins are great simultaneously, but it sure looks like it’s a good time to be a fan of both teams.

All-Time Record

The Bills and Dolphins have faced each other a total of 119 times, with the Dolphins leading the all-time series 62-56-1. The Miami Dolphins, at one point, had a remarkable run winning 20 games straight between the years 1970 and 1979. While the Buffalo Bills have caught up steadily, winning 20 out of 30 total games in the years from 1987 to 1999.

Slowing Down of the Rivalry

The animosity between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins reached a plateau in the early 2000s, coinciding with the rise of the New England Patriots and the legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who reigned supreme in the AFC East division. This also resulted from Don Shula, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, and Marv Levy hanging their hats.

As a result, the Bills and Dolphins found themselves unable to match the Patriots' dominance, diminishing their age-old rivalry's fervor. This power shift was accompanied by a tangible distaste for the Patriots, who swiftly ascended to the apex of their league and became one of the most reviled teams in the division, a well-deserved status is given their formidable skill and impressive skill track record. But that era is over.

Picking Up Again

The matchups between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins have experienced a noticeable escalation in recent times with the absence of Brady's dominant presence in the AFC East, both the Bills and Dolphins have seized the opportunity to strive for supremacy within their division. In the period of 2018-2021, the Buffalo Bills won 7 straight games to show their dominance in the division.

But recently, the Dolphins have significantly bolstered their roster by recruiting highly-talented players such as Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle, thereby elevating their status as a noteworthy contender in the AFC East. As a result, the competition for the division title has become increasingly fierce and captivating.

Not to mention the New York Jets recently got an upgrade at quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, who we now play twice a year. It’s safe to say that the AFC East will be an interesting division this upcoming season and the following seasons.

The Future

Even as a Bills fan, it’s hard to deny the talent that the Miami Dolphins have been assembling lately. They have a seemingly excellent head coach in Mike McDaniel, and we have already hit on their new star players mentioned before in Tua, Tyreek, and Jaylen. It’s hard not to expect this rejuvenated rivalry to be one of the best in the league.

The Buffalo Bills have only one true rival in the league, the Kansas City Chiefs. They are the team to beat the past few seasons with Patrick Mahomes at the helm. But the Miami Dolphins are one of the better teams in the AFC East and will make the Buffalo Bills Super Bowl hopes a tricky challenge. If the Dolphins continue to improve and become a consistent playoff team, they could challenge the Bills for the division title every year, making the rivalry intense. However, whether the Dolphins can maintain their upward trajectory and become a true yearly rival to the Bills remains to be seen.

Now, let me know your thoughts. Will the Miami Dolphins become a true yearly rival to the Buffalo Bills? Leave your answer in the comments below!