SoFla Guide Editors
The Miami Dolphins have officially moved on from kicker Riley Patterson, releasing him on Tuesday as they came out of their Week 6 bye, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, according to WPLG Local 10 and NBC Sports ProFootballTalk. The other two moves in the headline, a workout for Justin Tucker and a return for veteran Zane Gonzalez, are not confirmed in the reporting available to us at publication time. Until the team or a named outlet confirms them, treat those pieces with caution.
What happened
According to that report, Miami cut Patterson on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The timing fits a team looking for a reset. Miami went into the bye at 0-5, WPLG Local 10 reported, and when nothing is working, the kicker is often the first one handed a moving box.
Patterson’s numbers were not a disaster on paper. He made 7 of 9 field goals and 5 of 6 extra points across five games this season, according to the Dolphins’ official stats page on miamidolphins.com.
The misses came at bad moments for a winless team, though. The team’s stats page shows Patterson missed a field goal in the Week 1 loss at Las Vegas, 27-13, and another in the Week 2 loss at San Francisco, 35-13. WPLG Local 10 reported he also missed an extra point in Week 5, a 31-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on October 11.
The range question
The bigger worry may have been the kicks Miami never tried. WPLG Local 10 reported that the Dolphins did not attempt a field goal of 40 yards or longer from Week 3 through Week 5, reportedly because of a lack of confidence in Patterson’s range. The team has not confirmed that.
If it is accurate, it helps explain the change. A kicker the coaches will not send out from 40-plus shrinks the field for the offense. Drives that should end in three points end in punts or fourth-down gambles instead.
What about Tucker and Gonzalez?
Here is where we have to slow down. The headline says Miami worked out Justin Tucker, the longtime former Baltimore Ravens kicker, and then went back to Zane Gonzalez for the Jets game. Neither move appears in the confirmed reporting we have. So we cannot tell you why the Dolphins would pass on Tucker, and nobody has offered an explanation on the record.
Gonzalez is a familiar name for Dolphins fans. He competed with Patterson for the kicking job in training camp this year before being placed on injured reserve and released with an injury settlement on August 19. Patterson, who had re-signed with Miami on a one-year, $1.4 million deal in March, won that competition.
If Miami does bring Gonzalez back, it would be a little like texting your ex after the summer fling falls apart. Familiar, low drama, and you already know each other’s habits. Whether he can steady the special teams is a question only the games will answer. One kicker swap also does not fix an 0-5 start on its own.
What’s next for South Florida
The Dolphins head north to face the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in Week 7, WPLG Local 10 reported. Kickoff time and broadcast details were not part of the information we have, so check your local listings closer to game day.
Whoever lines up for kicks in New Jersey, the job description is simple. Make the extra points, and give the coaches enough confidence to try the longer ones. For a team still looking for its first win, three points from 45 yards could matter a lot.
We will update this story once the Dolphins’ kicking situation is confirmed by the team or a named outlet. Until then, the one sure thing is that Riley Patterson is no longer Miami’s kicker.
