The Dolphins have had just two homes since their first AFL season in 1966: the Miami Orange Bowl, where they played through the 1972 perfect season and both Super Bowl title years, and the privately built stadium in Miami Gardens that opened in 1987 and is now Hard Rock Stadium.
Here is each home in order, with the years the Dolphins played there, what made it matter and what stands on the site today. Each stadium links to our full guide.
Every Dolphins Stadium, 1966 to Today
- Miami
1966–1986Home for the first 21 seasons, including the 1972 perfect season and a 31-game home winning streak from 1971 to 1975. Founder Joe Robbie decided to build his own stadium after the city moved to quadruple the rent in 1976.
Today: Demolished in 2008; the Marlins' LoanDepot Park opened on the site in 2012
Stadium history →- Miami Gardens
- 1987–presentCurrent home
Opened in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium, the first U.S. multipurpose stadium built entirely with private money. It has hosted six Super Bowls, and a privately funded renovation finished in 2016 added a canopy over the seats.
Visiting guide →
Dolphins Stadium FAQ
Where did the Dolphins play before Hard Rock Stadium?
At the Miami Orange Bowl in Little Havana, from their first season in 1966 through 1986. Hard Rock Stadium itself opened in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium and has gone by several names since, including Pro Player Stadium, Dolphin Stadium and Sun Life Stadium.
How many stadiums have the Dolphins had?
Two: the Miami Orange Bowl and Hard Rock Stadium. The second has carried many names under different naming-rights deals, but it is the same stadium.
Why did the Dolphins leave the Orange Bowl?
Founder Joe Robbie said the turning point came in 1976, when the city of Miami wanted to quadruple the team’s rent. He built his own stadium instead, the first multipurpose stadium in the United States paid for entirely with private money.
Is the Miami Orange Bowl still standing?
No. The University of Miami moved out after the 2007 season and the stadium was demolished between March and May 2008. LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, opened on the site in 2012.
Where do the Dolphins play now?
At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, about 15 miles north of downtown Miami. It seats about 65,000, has a canopy over the stands added in 2016 and is shared with the Miami Hurricanes.