The Washington Commanders are gearing up for an exciting summer, and they've just announced a major addition to their preseason preparations: a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins. This news, first reported by Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, confirms that the two teams will meet in Ashburn ahead of their preseason opener—a move that has become a tradition under head coach Dan Quinn.
Quinn has made joint practices a staple of his training camp approach. In his first season with Washington in 2024, the Commanders squared off against the New York Jets. Last year, they shared the field with the AFC Champion New England Patriots. While a planned session with the Baltimore Ravens in 2025 fell through due to scheduling conflicts, this year's matchup with Miami promises to be a highlight of the preseason calendar.
The Dolphins visit the Commanders for their first preseason game on August 16th at 7 p.m. ET, and it will be the NFL's first glimpse at a Miami team in the midst of a dramatic rebuild. The Dolphins have undergone a complete overhaul: head coach Mike McDaniel was let go, star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill were released, and a new front office and coaching staff have been installed. With Jon-Eric Sullivan as general manager, Jeff Hafley as head coach, and quarterback Malik Willis signed in free agency, this is a very different Miami squad.
Washington hasn't been idle either. The Commanders promoted assistant quarterback coach David Blough to offensive coordinator, replacing Kliff Kingsbury. On defense, Daronte Jones was brought in from Brian Flores's Minnesota Vikings staff to take over for Joe Whitt Jr. General Manager Adam Peters has also focused heavily on shoring up a defense that struggled mightily at times last season. Additionally, quarterback Jayden Daniels is expected to return healthy after battling multiple injuries in 2025.
As with any preseason opener, fans should expect a vanilla game plan with limited snaps for starters. But the real action will come from the joint practices, where reporters from both sides will provide detailed insights. With training camp winding down, this week of work against the Dolphins offers a perfect preview of what's to come in the regular season. Mark your calendars: Week 1 of the preseason kicks off Sunday, August 16th at 7 p.m. ET on CBS.