December’s the time of year when the NFL playoff picture starts to get much, much clearer, and that begins with eliminations. Many teams are still fighting it out for Wild Card spots and top seeds in the 2026 bracket on the way to the Super Bowl (airing February 8 on NBC and Peacock), but several NFL squads already know their season ends when the regular season wraps up the first weekend in January, when we’ll see Week 18 games (including Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock!).

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So, which teams are already looking ahead to the draft and the 2026 regular season? Let’s take a look at all the playoff eliminations in the 2025 regular season thus far.

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Which NFL teams have been eliminated from the playoffs this season?

Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals have struggled this season, and quarterback Kyler Murray has struggled right along with them, as the would-be franchise quarterback has been plagued by injuries and setbacks in 2025. Right now the Cards are headed for their third last place finish in the NFC West in the last four years, and they haven’t made the playoffs since 2021. 

Atlanta Falcons – Atlanta’s embrace of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was meant to jumpstart the team, but instead Penix is now on the injured reserve list, leaving veteran Kirk Cousins to steer the ship. The Falcons have floundered, and while they have managed four wins so far this season, they can’t possibly catch up to the rest of the field at this point. 

Cleveland Browns – The entire AFC North has struggled this season, with the top team in the division, the Pittsburgh Steelers, sitting at 7-6 as of Week 14. But it’s the Browns who’ve struggled the most, dealing with a revolving door of quarterbacks as well as other issues on their way to a 3-10 record so far this season. Maybe next year. 

Las Vegas Raiders – The big story in the AFC West this season has been the struggles of the defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs, who enter Week 15 with a 6-7 record. But that’s nothing compared to the Raiders. Though they didn’t have the same high expectations, Raiders fans were hoping the arrival of Super Bowl Champion coach Pete Carroll would be a shot in the arm for the team. That hasn’t happened yet, and the Raiders are 2-11 through 14 weeks. 

New Orleans Saints – The Saints haven’t made the playoffs since the 2020 season, and this year will be no different. Right now they’re losing the race to avoid placing last in the NFC South to the Falcons, thanks to quarterback shuffles and an offensive line ravaged by injuries, among other factors. They’ll just have to dust themselves off and try again next year.

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New York Giants – The arrival of fresh offensive talent like running back Cam Skattebo and quarterback Jaxson Dart (who took over for Russell Wilson) seemed to be a ray of light for Giants fans, but it wasn’t enough to put them in the hunt for the postseason. In a season that’s already seen the firing of head coach Brian Daboll, the Giants are 2-11, sharing the bottom of the NFL barrel with Las Vegas and Tennessee. 

New York Jets – For the fourth time in the last six years, the New York Jets are on track to finish fourth in the AFC East, with a 3-10 record through 14 weeks. The team had hoped the arrival of new head coach Aaron Glenn might start to turn their fortunes around, but it hasn’t happened yet, and so the Jets look ahead to next year (again). 

Tennessee Titans – The AFC South isn’t doing that much better than the AFC North this season, and unfortunately the Titans are the low man on that particular pole. They’ve won just two games out of their first 13 this season, sharing the worst record in the league with the Raiders and Giants. 

Washington Commanders – It wasn’t so long ago that the Commanders looked like Super Bowl contenders in the NFC playoffs, but this year they won’t make the postseason at all. From miscues to injuries, including one to star quarterback Jayden Daniels, Washington just hasn’t had it this year, and they’re out of the playoffs with a 3-10 record through Week 14. 

Want more NFL action? Tune into Sunday Night Football every Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET, live on NBC and Peacock. Then the playoffs resolve February 8 with the Super Bowl, live on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo!