Are Dolphins eliminated from 2026 NFL playoffs after loss to Steelers on MNF in Week 15?

Entering the Monday Night Football showdown in Week 15, both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins were in big need of a win. However, only one could come out on top, and the home team didn’t disappoint its fans. Now, the writing on the wall has become reality for the Dolphins in the 2025 NFL season.

With the loss to the Steelers, the Dolphins dropped to 6-8 on the NFL season. As a result, with the AFC East title out of reach and the 9-5 Houston Texans holding the last wild card seed, Miami is officially eliminated from the postseason.

In more ways than one, the 2025 NFL campaign went just how Dolphins fans have grown accustomed to. The team showed progress by fits and starts, and that inconsistency led to Miami being eliminated with three weeks to go in the season. Year after year, fans in South Florida see a wicked version of Groundhog Day unfold on the gridiron.

Where does Miami go from here?

For the second straight year, the Dolphins have missed the postseason, and fans are now calling for Mike McDaniel to lose his head coaching job. As for Tua Tagovailoa, the Phins can’t get rid of his $212 million contract as easily, but the fanbase in Vice City wants to see a new face enter the QB room. Expect that buzz to grow louder when the 2026 NFL Draft looms closer.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel at MetLife Stadium.

The last three weeks of the 2025 NFL season should serve as an opportunity for Miami to undergo some honest introspection. With nothing left to play but pride—if there’s anything to be proud of in this campaign—the Dolphins could be witnessing their final games under McDaniel.

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When was the last time the Dolphins won a playoff game?

Following the embarrassing loss to the Steelers in Week 15, the Dolphins extended their lead over the rest of the NFL in a category they would rather not boast about. Miami holds the longest active postseason win drought in the league.

The last time the Dolphins won a playoff game was in Dec. 30, 2000, when defeating the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 23-17 in the AFC Wild Card Round. 25 years later in the NFL, Miami is 0-6 in the postseason.