Why are Dolphins wearing dark blue uniforms against Jets on ‘MNF?’

Off to an 0-3 start and with coach Mike McDaniel seemingly on one of the league’s hottest seats, the Miami Dolphins are already in deep water to start the 2025 NFL season. So maybe it’s a good time for them to break out their Nike “Rivalries” uniforms – the Fins’ version dubbed “Dark Waters.” Miami becomes the second team to don the new alternates, revealed by the sportswear apparel giant last month, joining the Arizona Cardinals, who rocked their “Built to Last” alternates Thursday.

Per Nike, Miami’s look is meant to convey speed and South Florida’s night life in what’s officially a “dark pitch-blue” colorway with hits of “Turbo Green,” and the club’s standard aqua and orange.

What’s new about the Dolphins’ ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

For a team that’s historically embraced South Florida’s vibrant colors – aqua, orange or white jerseys – this dark version is quite a departure for the Dolphins, who are basically offering their fans something akin to the black alternates so many pro teams have in their wardrobes.

Per the team’s website, “This design is unlike any before, featuring dark aquatic tones made to represent a team who hunts in dark waters. Complete with orange accents and sleek dark blue touches throughout, these uniforms are as fierce as the competition between longtime rivals when they meet in prime time.”

“Go Fins” is embroidered inside the collar. Miami’s 305 area code appears above the facemask.

“The Jets have always been our biggest rival,” legendary Dolphins wideout Nat Moore told Nike in conjunction with the uniform launch in August.

“They’re the team that, no matter what their record is, they’re always going to play us tough. Whether the game was down in Miami or up in New York, you just knew how important it was to the fans. And with so many New Yorkers living in South Florida, the rivalry just feels that much more real.”

What are NFL ‘Rivalries’ uniforms by Nike?

Think of them as the football version of the sports apparel company’s NBA ‘City Edition’ uniforms or Major League Baseball’s ‘City Connect’ jerseys. Signaled during the NFL draft and unveiled in August, Nike has strived to create something that further strengthens NFL teams’ bonds to their unique civic environments. And, as “rivalries” would suggest, all of them will be worn in intra-divisional matchups.

‘The 2025 Rivalries uniforms will celebrate storied local traditions and unite fan communities with designs unique to select cities and teams,” Nike announced during the rollout.

‘The designs are rooted extensively in the legacies and inspirations true to each team, serving as authentic, competitive expressions of community pride while giving athletes and fans an opportunity to connect like never before.’

Which NFL teams have ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Eventually all of them. But for 2025, each team in the AFC East and NFC West is scheduled to wear their “Rivalries” unis one time this season. Two additional divisions will be added to the rotation in each of the next three seasons, and the “Rivalries” option then becomes part of a team’s closet for the following three years.