Commanders Take Down Dolphins Securing 20-7 Victory In Preseason Opener

Quarterback Sam Hartman communicating with the offense on the line of scrimmage before attempting a play in the Commanders' 20-7 preseason victory over the Dolphins, at Northwest Stadium on Aug. 14. (Abdullah Konte/WinSports)

The Washington Commanders kicked off their 2026 preseason under the Friday Night Lights with a 20-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Northwest Stadium.

The victory wrapped a successful week for Washington, who also faced Miami in a joint practice on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the BigBear.ai Performance Center. This marked the franchise’s first joint practice at the Ashburn facility. 

With 26 players held out including, Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Odafe Oweh, Frankie Luvu, and several other key players, as expected Washington leaned on the depth giving a number of players an opportunity to make their mark.

Instead, under the Friday night lights, the NFL debuts of Sonny Styles, Antonio Williams, Athan Kaliakmanis, and Drew Stevens, among others, were on full display. 

After Miami's starters came out strong, Washington took control as the game shifted deeper down the roster.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota clinched the game start but exited earlier than expected, departing after the fourth play of Washington’s first offensive drive with a leg injury from a hard hit with Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Sam Hartman and Kaliakmanis were among the two who took over for Mariota.

To seal Friday night’s victory, Washington leaned on touchdowns from running backs Robert Henry Jr. and Kaytron Allen, which also included a disruptive defense to finish the job. The defensive line, safety Quan Martin, cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr., safety Malik Spencer, and linebacker Ale Kaho all made key contributions, showcasing the defensive depth that helped the Commanders close out the win.