The Miami Dolphins have all but ended their 2025 season on a sour note. Tua Tagovailoa is benched, and the Dolphins are coming off a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
But, with two weeks left to go, the Dolphins have one player expected to try harder than anyone else: linebacker Bradley Chubb. He's not only playing for a future contract, but he has $4.8 million on the line.
According to Omar Kelly of The Miami Herald, Chubb enters the final two weeks of the NFL season with $4.8 million at stake in incentives. But reaching that incentive won't be easy, as the terms are tricky to reach for Chubb and the Dolphins' defense.
Bradley Chubb needs Dolphins' defense to play well to land $4.8 million payday
"If the Dolphins' defense finishes this season ranked among the NFL's top 20 defenses in points allowed, with Chubb's existing playing time percentage, and his sack production," Kelly writes, "he'd earn an extra $4.8 million..."
Chubb has played in 78% of the Dolphins' snaps on defense and has six sacks this season. Those are both enough to meet those thresholds, but the Dolphins' defense needs to finish inside the top-20 defenses in the NFL this season.
Currently, they're 22nd, and behind the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns. The Dolphins' defense just gave up a ton of points to the Bengals in Week 16, which might've been the death knell for Chubb's chances of this incentive hitting.
The Dolphins defense allows 24.6 points per game, and the Falcons are just ahead at 24.0 points per game allowed, and the Browns are at 23.7 points per game allowed.
More: Dolphins reportedly make huge Mike McDaniel 2026 coaching decision
If the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Baltimore Ravens implode in these final two weeks, they too could be options for the Dolphins to pass, though it's incredibly unlikely, as they'd need to raise their PPG allowed by at least 1.4 points.
Miami and Chubb go up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots to close out 2025, and the Patriots are scoring 27.3 points per game, while the Buccaneers are scoring 23.1 points per game.
The Browns face the Steelers and the Bengals, who are scoring 24.3 and 23.9 points per game this season. The Falcons get the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints, who are scoring 30.5 and 17 points per game, respectively.
Not only does Chubb need to inspire the Dolphins' defense to shut down two quality offenses, but he also needs the Browns and Falcons to struggle in their final two games.
Chubb is facing a tricky path to securing this massive $4.8 million payday. There's a chance he earns this incentive, but the Dolphins pass rusher is facing a tough path to securing this payday.
More Dolphins News:
- NFL insider reveals Dolphins' ideal way of cutting ties with Tua Tagovailoa
- Tua Tagovailoa's Dolphins career is likely over after benching
- Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa facing 'alarming' situation amid benching
- How Tyreek Hill could help Dolphins cut ties with Tua Tagovailoa
- Dolphins 'prepared' to make major Tua Tagovailoa roster decision
- With future unclear, Dolphins' Mike McDaniel is preparing for next season