There is a lot of parity in the NFL, but that does not mean there won't be some terrible teams for the 2026 NFL Season. While you can argue for many of the teams to get into the playoffs, some teams simply do not have a viable path forward.
Besides teams that we all know are going to be very good: Los Angeles Rams, Seattle, Denver, Buffalo, and many others, there will be some teams that just aren't going to win many games and will finish with a losing record.
We took a look at five of those teams here and made a guarantee that they'll finish with a losing record this season.
These five teams are guaranteed to finish with a losing record in 2026
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins finally blew it up this offseason, which was the right move, but when that happens, reality sets in. While Miami had a ton of NFL Draft picks this year and did move on from players that yielded them some cap relief, the rebuild is now only just beginning.
This also means that much more uncertainty swoops in. While undergoing a rebuild is precisely what many teams need to do, there is no guarantee that it'll be done the right way. On paper, the Dolphins are missing quite a bit. The coaching staff is brand-new, and Malik Willis is now the quarterback.
Willis has extremely limited experience in the NFL and might not end up being more than a high-end backup-caliber player at the position. Miami is also in a division with two double-digit win teams from 2025, so it's going to be a heavy lift either way.
Arizona Cardinals
You could argue that the Arizona Cardinals will become the first team to go 0-17 in the history of the NFL. Arizona is absolutely in the best division in the NFL and may also be the worst team in the league overall. With a bottom-5 roster and nothing close to a stable quarterback situation, the other three NFC West teams would have to forefeit for the Cardinals to make any progress this year.
Like the Dolphins, the Cardinals are in the beginning stages of a rebuild, so this is going to take some time. If nothing else, the Cardinals may end up with a top-3 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, which could end up being used on a potential franchise quarterback.
There is some light at the end of the tunnel, but it's dim as of now.
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