The Miami Dolphins entered Week 15 riding a four-game winning streak, but their playoff hopes were all but gone. After losing seven of their first nine games, Miami’s late-season surge kept them marginally alive, but they have now been eliminated.
What Are The Dolphins’ Playoff Chances?
Miami’s playoff hopes were crippled by a disastrous start to the season, compounded by the loss of star receiver Tyreek Hill. For weeks, it seemed the Dolphins and New York Jets were battling just to secure a single win. Miami finally earned its first victory against the Jets after starting 0–3, only to drop three more in a row and fall to 1–6.
A five-win surge in their last six games has kept a slim postseason chance alive. Entering Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami’s playoff odds sat at just 0.3%, according to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor. A win against the Steelers would have increased their chances to 1.9%, but since they lost, the Dolphins are eliminated from playoff contention.
Here were the Dolphins’ elimination scenarios for Week 15:
- Miami loss + Buffalo win/tie + Houston win/tie
- Miami loss + Buffalo win/tie + Indianapolis win/tie
- Miami loss + Houston win + Indianapolis win
- Miami tie + Buffalo win + Jacksonville win/tie + L.A. Chargers win/tie + Houston win + Indianapolis win/tie
- Miami tie + Buffalo win + Jacksonville win/tie + L.A. Chargers win/tie + Houston tie + Indianapolis win
SACK @jalenramsey‼️ #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/hIc5DOSi6a
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 16, 2025
Since Miami failed to take care of business against the Steelers, they can no longer make the playoffs. It will be interesting to see what they do in the offseason to address their glaring issues.
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Here are the Dolphins’ remaining fixtures after Week 15:
- Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 17: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 18: at New England Patriots
While the Bengals matchup presents a slightly more favorable opportunity for a win, Miami faces a daunting finish to the season, closing against the Buccaneers and the NFL-best 11–2 Patriots. For a team that struggled to handle Washington’s backup offense in Week 11, a miraculous run to the playoffs would have been challenging to pull off even if they had won against the Steelers.
The Dolphins showed real fight over the past month, which might have saved head coach Mike McDaniel’s job. However, there is no guarantee that Tua Tagovailoa will remain their starter next year, as he has struggled significantly this season.
The Dolphins are now 6-8 on the season, and their fans should start looking forward to the 2026 NFL Draft. They are currently projected to have the no. 11 overall pick in the next year’s draft.
