Dolphins’ belief in Jason Sanders pays off with career game in playoff-clinching win

Kickers sometimes get lifted up by teammates after game-winning field goals.

But Jason Sanders got to celebrate that way twice on Sunday thanks to defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.

First, Wilkins bear-hugged Sanders, lifting him up after his 29-yard field goal as time expired propelled the Miami Dolphins to a dramatic 22-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys and punched Miami’s ticket to the postseason.

A few minutes later, Wilkins hoisted Sanders on his shoulders and gave him another triumphant ride around the Dolphins’ locker room.

“I felt like I was waiting for that moment since the Jets game last year,” Sanders said.

Sanders was referring to Miami’s 2022 regular-season finale when he made three field goals to also boot the Dolphins into the playoffs after an 11-6 win against the Jets.

But Sunday’s win was historic and a career highlight for Sanders, who rewarded the Dolphins’ faith in him after struggling through some rough spots during the past two-plus seasons.

Sanders entered the game 6 for 16 on field-goal attempts of 50 or more yards since 2021.

That was the worst conversion rate for any NFL team during that span. Sanders has remained the Dolphins kicker throughout that time despite those setbacks.

Sanders made all five of his tries Sunday — a fact which he reminded everyone watching as he counted 1 through 5 with his fingers right after his game-winner.

“I was in the moment,” Sanders said with a smile after the game.

Sanders became the first kicker in Dolphins history to make three field goals of 50 or more yards in a game.

He also did things he hadn’t done since his All-Pro season in 2020.

It was the seventh time Sanders made at least four field goals in a game and the first time he accomplished the feat since Dec. 26, 2020.

It was the fourth time in his career that Sanders made five field goals in a game and the ninth overall instance in Dolphins history.

“In professional sports, there’s going to be adversity and times things don’t go your way,” Dolphins long snapper Blake Ferguson said. “One thing we’ve adopted as a team is that adversity is opportunity. Show why you’re here. He’s been phenomenal the four years I’ve been here. There’s never been a doubt in my mind that he’s going to put it through the uprights.”

Sanders has never lost his self-confidence in his kicking or anything else. Tyreek Hill joked after the game that the Dolphins might have to bring back the ping-pong table since Sanders was so proficient at beating his teammates at that game as well.

“If they want to lose, they can do it,” Sanders said with a laugh. “If they want competition, I’ll be there.”

Sanders has now made 22 of 26 field goals this season for an 84.6 percent rate that’s his best since the 2020 season.

“I think I’m still hitting the kicks and still right where I need to be,” Sanders said. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

Sanders’ first field goal set the tone for his big day when he connected on a career-long 57-yarder with 2:50 left in the first quarter.

He followed with makes from 52 and 54 yards while the Dolphins’ defense kept one of the most explosive offenses in the league in check.

After Dallas took the lead with 3:27 remaining in the fourth, Sanders and Ferguson each said they knew it could come down to another kick.

And Ferguson told the offense as much as they began their game-winning drive.

“To come through in a big game like this against that opponent, feels good. I gotta give credit to [holder] Jake [Bailey] and Blake,” Sanders said. “They don’t get credit for kicks like that. To have a snapper like Blake and a holder like Jake, it makes my job that much easier.”