The Miami Dolphins will see a very familiar face kicking elsewhere in the AFC East Division this season.
On Friday, the Jets named Jason Sanders their starting kicker for the 2026 NFL season, at least for Week 1 when they take on the Titans.
The Jets are keeping Blake Grupe, the former Saints kicker, around as well in case they need him.
The #Jets have named Jason Sanders their kicker for Sunday’s game vs. the Titans. They will elevate him from the practice squad while also carrying Blake Grupe on the 53-man roster. pic.twitter.com/AE4dgnKPWr
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 11, 2026
Sanders had to win the job in the preseason, and apparently he did enough to earn a vote of confidence from Jets head coach Aaron Glenn.
With a less-than-stellar offense, points will be at a premium for the Jets, and so Sanders will have to deliver when called upon.
Jason Sanders Left Dolphins
Sanders had been a reliable kicker for the Dolphins before an injury knocked him out in August of 2025, and he didn’t kick the entire season.
He signed with the New York Giants earlier in the offseason but didn’t stick there, and the Jets signed him on June 3.
They technically released Sanders on Sept. 1, but that was to get him onto the practice squad. Sanders will be elevated for the Jets’ game on Sunday.
Sanders kicked for the Dolphins for seven seasons, never missing a game. He was 187-for-221 with Miami, an 84.6% success rate on field goals. He was also 259-for-268 on extra points (96.6%).
Sanders made 57-yard field goals in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, his longest distance made with Miami.
In 2020, Sanders was named an All-Pro kicker when he went 92.3% (36-for-39) on field goals, including 8-for-9 from 50 yards or more.
In 2024, Sanders was a whopping 12-for-14 on field goals from at least 50 yards, and he was 37-for-41 overall (90.2%).
The Jets have been through a bunch of different kickers in recent years, and the 30-year old Sanders will try to bring some stability to the position there.
Who Is the Dolphins’ Kicker?
The Dolphins’ kicker for 2026 will be Riley Patterson.
He took over the job in 2025 when Sanders got hurt and took part in all 17 games.
Patterson was 27-for-29 on field goals last season, including 3-for-4 from 50-plus, with a long of 54 yards. His 93.1% field goal rate went along with his 97.1% (34-for-35) rate on extra points.
Patterson was a journeyman before breaking through last season with Miami, having kicked for five other teams — including, ironically, the Jets, for whom he played just one game in 2024. He has also kicked for the Browns, Falcons, Lions and Jaguars.
The Dolphins are confident in what Patterson brings to the table, which is why they were comfortable letting Sanders leave this offseason, and now Sanders has found a new kicking home with the Jets.
Dolphins’ Ex-Kicker Will Start For Jets