Four-Time Pro Bowl Linebacker Agrees to Deal with the Miami Dolphins
After being traded from the New England Patriots to the Atlanta Falcons, linebacker Matthew Judon needed a fresh start and a chance to play with a possible playoff team. Although Atlanta started off great going 4-2 in their first six games, they ultimately couldn’t pull through when it mattered most losing close one-score games that could have propelled them higher within the NFC South. The Falcons finished with an 8-9 record, missing the chance at a postseason appearance by two games as they were below the 10-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a season in Atlanta, the four-time Pro Bowl linebacker signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins with a max value of six million dollars, reported by Ian Rapoport on August 18th, 2025.
During the 2016 NFL Draft, Judon was selected as the 146th overall pick in the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He spent five seasons in Baltimore, recording 34.5 sacks, before signing a four-year deal with the Patriots. Judon notched back-to-back seasons with 10 or more sacks, totaling 28 sacks in his two full seasons in New England. During Week Four of the 2023 season, Judon suffered a torn lower bicep which left him out for the remainder of the year. After a disappointing season-ending injury, the four-time Pro Bowl linebacker got his request granted by being traded to Atlanta.
Last season, Judon played all 17 games. He had 41 combined tackles, 25 solo, and 16 assisted, along with seven tackles for losses, five and a half sacks, five pass deflections, and an interception. On September 16th, in a 22-21 win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles, the 32-year-old had six combined tackles, two tackles for losses, and a sack. Prior to the 2025 NFL Season, Judon finds himself 100th on the all-time sack leader list with 72 sacks, tied with Buffalo’s newest Bill, Joey Bosa, who now joins Judon in the AFC East. Teaming up with Miami edge rushers in Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, Judon can be a valuable rotational depth piece for a Miami pass rush that has struggled with injuries defensively over the years. With this upcoming season kicking off in the next few weeks, can Judon help the Dolphins make the playoffs once again?
