As of late Week 17 of the 2025–26 NFL season, nearly half the league has been eliminated from playoff contention, and the list is still growing as the final week approaches. Exact status can shift game‑to‑game, but several teams have already been mathematically ruled out.

Key eliminated teams (2025–26)

Multiple reputable outlets track a running list of teams that are officially out once their playoff odds hit zero. The following teams have been reported as eliminated from the 2025 postseason picture heading toward the end of the regular season.

[5][1][3] [1][3][5] [3][5][1] [5][1][3] [1][3] [3][1] [5][1][3] [1][3][5] [3][5][1] [5][1][3] [1][3][5] [3][1] [2]
Conference Team (eliminated)
AFCNew York Jets
AFCCleveland Browns
AFCLas Vegas Raiders
AFCTennessee Titans
AFCCincinnati Bengals
AFCKansas City Chiefs
NFCArizona Cardinals
NFCNew Orleans Saints
NFCWashington Commanders
NFCAtlanta Falcons
NFCNew York Giants
NFCMinnesota Vikings
NFCDetroit Lions (recently joined the eliminated group)
These teams are described as having “seen their postseason hopes vanish” or having been “mathematically eliminated” as other results locked them out of any remaining wild‑card or division title paths.

Timing and context

  • Some clubs, like the Giants , were among the earliest to be ruled out, becoming officially eliminated around Week 12–13 when their loss made it impossible to catch the field.
  • Others, like the Lions , were knocked out closer to the end, joining a group of 15 eliminated teams just before the final week as seeding battles continued for contenders.

Why lists may differ

  • Different sites update their elimination trackers at slightly different times (after Sunday games, after Monday night, etc.), so a list from mid‑December might not include teams that fell out a week or two later.
  • Because of this, fans on forums and social media often cross‑check several sources on Sunday night or Monday morning for the latest news on which teams are eliminated from NFL playoffs.

If you tell the exact date or week you care about (for example, “after Week 17 games finish”), the list can be narrowed down even more precisely. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.