Dolphins star’s staggering $5m bonus incentives hinge on Mike McDaniels’ team doing one big thing

The Miami Dolphins don’t have anything left to fight for this season, but there are millions of dollars on the table for Bradley Chubb.

For Mike McDaniel and his team, the 2025 NFL season has been incredibly disappointing.

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The Dolphins are 6-9, and saw their playoff chances officially ended by the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago.

In the days that followed, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers, and Miami were blown out by the 5-10 Cincinnati Bengals.

Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will mean little to many watching inside Hard Rock Stadium, but a lot to one man standing on the field.

What incentives can Bradley Chubb hit this season?

Linebacker Chubb has been impressive throughout 2025, and while the Dolphins started 1-7, he was one of few players performing at a high level.

The 29-year-old was also key as Miami put together a four-game win streak in November and early December, racking up 10 total tackles during that run.

Chubb, now, needs those around him to lift their game in Week 17 — as he could earn up to $5.5 million in bonuses against the Bucs.

The star pass-rusher, who signed a five-year extension worth $110m back in 2022, agreed to cut his pay in March after missing the entire 2024 season.

His new deal included an incentive package based on playing time and sacks. Now, with two weeks of the season left, he is hoping to land some big money.

According to Pro Football Talk, Chubb has participated in 71% of defensive snaps for Miami in 2025, and would earn a playing-time percentage of $3.025m.

He also has 6.5 sacks on the year, which would land him another $1.225m.

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That’s $4.25m in total, and with an additional 1.5 sacks, the linebacker would unlock another $900,000.

Chubb, then, has a realistic shot at $5.15m in bonuses. But there’s one final catch.

Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald reports that all of those bonuses are tied to the Dolphins finishing this season ranked in the NFL’s top 20 defenses in points allowed.

How likely is Bradley Chubb to get his contract bonuses?

Miami currently ranks 22nd in the league by that metric, behind the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns for the all-important spot their linebacker needs.

The Dolphins are allowing 24.6 points per game to opposing offenses, and need to climb past the Falcons and Browns by finishing strong.

However, the 45 points they gave up against the Bengals last week makes it a tough ask.

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“Still work to do, still goals to accomplish,” Chubb, whose 2025 salary was trimmed from $19.5m to $11.9m, said ahead of Week 17.

“I was telling people earlier, I didn’t play at all last year and being able to be back on this field, I don’t take (anything) for granted, no matter if we’re playing for the Super Bowl, or playing for nothing.

“We’re playing for something, playing for each other.”

Chubb, of course, is playing for serious money too. And while he won’t mention that to the press, it will likely be on his mind against Tampa Bay.

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