Dolphins avoid regular-season primetime, but land a nationally televised preseason game vs. Giants

The Miami Dolphins will get national television in the preseason after the team announced it will host the New York Giants on Saturday, Aug. 22. The game will be carried live on NFL Network during Week 2 of the exhibition schedule, giving Miami one of the more visible windows of its 2026 football summer despite a quiet regular-season TV footprint.

The contrast is notable for Dolphins fans. According to reporting highlighted by Yahoo Sports, Miami is scheduled for zero nationally televised “primetime” games during the 2026 regular season, the first time the team has been left out of that tier since the 2008 season. That 2008 note is being referenced in connection with a much earlier low point in franchise history, when the Dolphins went 1-15 in 2007.

Preseason television may not carry the same stakes as October or November, but it still affects the way teams are evaluated and discussed. A nationally televised exhibition game can mean wider attention for starters in the early weeks of camp when coaches and personnel groups are still settling into roles, particularly as teams finalize their depth charts and clarify who is handling the most important snaps as the regular season approaches.

Multiple reports also pointed to the practical reality of playing in South Florida in late August. In the lead-up to the televised kickoff, The Phinsider noted that the matchup is set for a 4:00 p.m. ET start. The publication also framed the timing as a weather concern, referencing typical Miami conditions near the upper end of the 80s around that period.

There is also a roster-preparation subtext to the matchup. Dolphins coaches generally use the first half of the preseason to sort out offensive timing, quarterback rhythm, and defensive communication before teams become more conservative with player usage. With the Giants coming to town, Miami’s coaching staff will have a chance to compare its in-house execution against a different scheme identity than what it has seen in practice periods.

Beyond the exhibition, the 2026 schedule picture for Miami will be shaped more by regional coverage and its own internal momentum than by the national spotlight. The absence of regular-season primetime games does not alter the league’s standings or playoff qualification mechanics, but it can influence how often a team becomes a weekly national storyline, especially when comparing fanbase size, market reach, and media narratives across the conference.

What to watch next is whether the Dolphins can turn that limited national window in August into a crisp on-field message heading into the regular season. A televised preseason game is often where coaches are most willing to show progress in foundational areas, and it can set expectations for who looks prepared when meaningful roles start to harden in the final weeks before kickoff).