10 NFL Teams Whose 2026 Seasons Are OVER Already

This is an easy choice, as the 2026 Dolphins stripped down their roster to a majority of no-name NFL players outside of Malik Willis and De’Von Achane.

New General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley plan to implement a long-term, multi-year cultural reset after the Tua Tagovailoa era failed.

Because of Tagovailoa’s release, the team is unable to sign Pro Bowl-caliber talent to its roster for a while. 

The Dolphins have put up a fight in a couple of their games, but their efforts have been rewarded with three straight losses so far.

Achane recently suffered a torn ACL in their 24-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, which will impact the team’s ground attack moving forward.

To make matters worse, the Dolphins have a brutal schedule ahead of them, with matchups against the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals before their bye week, as both teams have immense talent on both sides of the ball.

It’ll be rough watching the Dolphins try to compete this season, but they should be rewarded with a high draft pick in the 2027 draft. 

New York Giants

Yeah, sure, the New York Giants are 2-1 for now, but they lost Jaxson Dart to a serious knee injury that required surgery in their week two 28-6 loss against the Los Angeles Rams.

The John Harbaugh hype was for real, but without Dart leading the way on offense, the team will look lost on the field, as they did in their week three 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans, when Cam Skattebo ran into backup quarterback Jameis Winston.

Not to mention, the team has lost Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Burns to an ACL tear, which will impact the defense moving forward in the regular season. 

The Giants’ roster is already starting to dissolve in front of us, as they recently released Odell Beckham Jr. after he failed to record a single catch in 20 snaps, which limits Winston’s on-field targets.

Offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is dealing with a groin injury, and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is dealing with a knee injury, further depleting the Giants’ roster as their schedule gets tougher.

After their Week 8 bye, the Giants will have to deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks, as all four of those teams made the playoffs in 2025 and will likely return to the postseason after the 2026 season.

Green Bay Packers

The 2026 Packers are on the brink due to a tough 1-2 start and a disastrous 35-14 beatdown loss to the Atlanta Falcons at home on Thursday Night Football to open week three in the 2026 NFL season.

Wide receiver Jayden Reed is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a neck injury in the team’s 20-17 overtime win against the New York Jets, which thins the receiver room.

Running back Josh Jacobs is currently on the commissioner’s exempt list amid legal trouble off the field, leaving the ground attack as the team’s weak point, which was on full display in week three as they had a combined 17 rushing yards on the ground. MarShawn Lloyd had 11 rushing yards on four carries during the game.

Jordan Love has had a slow start behind a struggling offensive line, as the line has failed to find consistency. 

The Packers have a huge Week Four test against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which is currently viewed as a virtual elimination game for the team’s momentum moving forward. If they succeed, they may be able to salvage their season. If they fail, it’ll be a long, miserable season ahead of them.

On top of that, the Packers’ schedule won’t get easier, as they have matchups against the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Detroit Lions before their week 11 bye week. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Moving to the Bucs, their season is in jeopardy after three consecutive losses to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns, and the Minnesota Vikings in close, nail-biting fashion.

Baker Mayfield has played okay, but he sustained an injured right thumb in the team’s week three loss to the Vikings. 

Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels might be thrust into action during the team’s week four matchup against the Green Bay Packers and the team’s brutal upcoming stretch of games.

The Bucs also lost offensive starters like Jalen McMillan after he suffered a PCL sprain in his left knee; Chris Godwin is out with an ankle injury for their week four matchup; and Bucky Irving has been limited in practice with a glute issue. 

Those games include matchups against the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, divisional games against the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons, and a game against the Chicago Bears before their bye week in week 10.

On top of that, it puts Bucs head coach Todd Bowles on the hot seat, as mounting pressure could force the team to make a mid-season change if it fails to rebound from its 0-3 start. 

Tennessee Titans

Another 0-3 NFL team on this 2026 list includes the Titans, as the team has stumbled out of the gate in one-score games under Robert Saleh’s watch. 

Cam Ward continues to struggle, while the offense has looked anemic in its attempts to put points on the board, which isn’t a good look for offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

The Titans have a brutal stretch of games ahead of them, with matchups against the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Cincinnati Bengals before their week nine bye week. 

The offensive line and Ward have battled to find an explosive rhythm, but came up short when he threw a game-ending interception in their week three 12-7 loss to the New York Giants.

It hasn’t helped Ward and company that the offensive line has dealt with numerous injuries, including Fernando Carmona, who went down with a serious ankle injury, leaving the unit depleted as they do everything they can to protect their second-year quarterback. 

If the Titans’ offense continues to regress, the team will likely move on from Daboll and regroup for the 2027 season with another high draft pick.

Houston Texans

Staying in the AFC South, the Texans find themselves in their second-straight 0-4 start, as C. J. Stroud continues to regress and struggle under pressure.

Stroud has been missing key weapons on offense, with Jayden Higgins suffering a torn ACL during a joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders in the summer, Tank Dell still recovering from the gruesome knee injury he suffered in 2024, and offensive tackles Braden Smith and rookie Sam Hagen on injured reserve.

Starting 0-3 is statistically a rough look, as it reduces a team’s chances of reaching the playoffs, although the Texans reached the playoffs last year and made it to the Divisional Round, thanks to their defense.

However, just like last year, the defense can’t do all of the work, as Stroud must find a way to turn things around, especially in the team’s tough slate of games ahead of them.

To make things worse for the defense, key defensive starters like Mario Edwards Jr. suffered a torn ACL in week three, edge rusher Dylan Horton has a torn Achilles, and linebacker E. J. Speed has a torn quadriceps, which hinders the unit. 

The Texans also have tough divisional matchups against the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars before their week eight bye week.

Los Angeles Chargers

The 2026 Chargers are facing a worst-case scenario, as their 2026 NFL season looks bleak with the offense unable to click under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Justin Herbert has struggled, throwing three touchdowns with four interceptions in the first three weeks of the 2026 season. 

The Chargers’ offensive line has seen injury setbacks, with center Tyler Biadasz out with an ACL injury, tackle Trey Pipkins out with a knee injury, and Branson Taylor out with an upper-body and shoulder injury. 

To make matters worse, the Chargers have a tough schedule ahead, with matchups against the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Kansas City Chiefs before their week seven bye.

Then, when they return to action, the Chargers have a week eight matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, the Houston Texans, and the Baltimore Ravens. 

Just like the Texans, the 0-4 start is not a good look statistically, as teams have a 3% chance of reaching the playoffs.

Analysts and insiders have also noted that if the Chargers lose to the Seahawks, it would be the final nail in the coffin for a once-promising team.

On top of that, if the Chargers continue to struggle, it would be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first losing season in the NFL. 

New England Patriots

The defending Super Bowl runners-up are off to a slow, brutal start to their 2026 season, as Drake Maye and the offense have struggled so far.

After a strong sophomore season, Maye has hit a brick wall, struggling with his play: he has thrown a touchdown pass to rookie Eli Raridon, thrown six costly interceptions, and lost the ball on fumbles, with two so far.

The supporting cast around Maye has collapsed with A. J. Brown is on injured reserve, as he recovers from a high ankle sprain he suffered in the team’s week one matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.

The rest of the offense has faltered due to poor pass blocking and an ineffective run game, which puts immense pressure on offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to spark a massive turnaround.

The Patriots also have a brutal 2026 schedule, with matchups against the Buffalo Bills, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chicago Bears, and the Detroit Lions before their week 11 bye week. 

On top of that, head coach Mike Vrabel has had to manage the off-field drama involving him and Dianna Russini during the 2026 NFL offseason, as well as rumors of a rift between him and Maye, both of which he has denied. 

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have an uphill climb to their season with their brutal season, a transition year under new head coach Mike LaFleur, and deep defensive troubles. 

PFF and ESPN metrics have ranked the “Red Birds” as having one of the toughest schedules in the league, which doesn’t get easier, as they have to square off against the Detroit Lions, the Los Angeles Rams twice, the Denver Broncos, the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Philadelphia Eagles before their week 14 bye week.

It doesn’t help the Cardinals that they play in the NFC West, arguably one of the league’s toughest divisions with three playoff-caliber teams in the Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers.

With the team fully invested in the post-Kyler Murray era, the team will evaluate how Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, and rookie Carson Beck perform during the regular season. However, none of them scream playoff or championship, contender.

The Cardinals’ defense has been a problem for the team so far this season, as veteran edge rusher Josh Sweat has been invisible with zero sacks in the first three games of the season. Rookie Walter Nolen III has had a very slow start to his transition to the league.

On top of that, the Cardinals have surrendered 39 points per game against divisional opponents in their last six contests. 

If the Cardinals survive their tough season and see positive production from Beck, it may not be a lost season, but rather another rebuilding season under their belt. 

Washington Commanders

Although the Commanders recently stunned the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, defeating them 33-31, they’ve had a rough 2026 season.

Third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered another injury setback, injuring his left non-throwing elbow before halftime in the Commanders’ week two matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. 

The Commanders are relying on unproven coordinators David Blough (offense) and Daronte Jones (defense) to guide those units to a winning record, even though both coordinators have faced heavy scrutiny.

After the Commanders’ week seven bye week, the team has to square off against fierce opponents like the Philadelphia Eagles, the Los Angeles Rams, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Houston Texans, just to name a few games to look forward to.

The team’s offensive line has been facing massive scrutiny, as they’ve been weak without La’Marr Tunsil, who is on injured reserve with a triceps injury, and guard Sam Cosmi is out with a concussion.

On top of that, the team’s defense has also been plagued by the injury bug, with Leo Chanel out for the season after undergoing neck surgery, Johnny Newton on injured reserve with a pectoral injury, Jordan Magee on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and Trey Amos out with an ankle injury. These guys are contributors on defense, and their presence will be missed for the rest of the season.