Jason Sanders ends season with back-to-back Player of the Month Honors

The Miami Dolphins special teams unit is set for a makeover this offseason, but a change at kicker seems unlikely. Jason Sanders ended the year on a high note, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors for December and January.

Sanders didn’t miss a field goal after Week 8, finishing the season with a perfect 15-for-15 stretch throughout December, including 5-for-5 on attempts from 50 yards or longer. This followed a strong November, during which he went ten-for-ten on kicks and secured the monthly award. He converted 37 of 41 field goals on the year, highlighted by a 57-yarder in Miami’s 32-26 overtime win against the New York Jets.

In December and January, Sanders accounted for 51 of Miami’s 113 total points and finished eighth among NFL kickers with 137 total points. His 37 field goals set a new franchise record, and he joined Chris Boswell, Ka’imi Fairbairn, and Brandon Aubrey as one of only four kickers to hit 12 or more field goals from 50 yards or beyond.

Sanders signed a five-year, $22 million extension in 2021 and is set to have a salary cap hit of $4,731,500 in 2025. While Miami would save $3,337,000 by releasing him, it’s hard to imagine a better use of 1.7% of the team’s total cap.