Miami Dolphins LB Bradley Chubb close to incentives, needs help
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb took a pay cut to start the 2025 season . Now, he's trying to get some of that money back.
The seven-year NFL veteran has $ 5.15 million in contract incentives on the table tied to snap counts and sack totals, many of which Chubb has already met this season.
His latest was logged with a strip-sack of Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins' 20-17 win on Dec. 28 .
Chubb’s contract hit a potential $900,000 incentive threshold at 8 sacks or more and 2 sacks against the Bucs put him at 8.5.
That sack drew a "money' dance" from Chubb, but the star linebacker also knows that whether he gets paid for his production incentives is no longer up to just his play alone, due to a significant catch in the details of his contract — details Chubb has kept quiet.
According to Spotrac.com , those incentives are wholly contingent on the Dolphins defense finishing in the top 20 NFL teams in points allowed per game, leaving quite the sum of money in jeopardy.
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At the conclusion of games on Sunday, Dec. 28, the Dolphins were 21st in scoring defense, at 24.1.
Reaching the top 20 would require a very good performance at New England in the season finale, and some help.
Just ahead of Miami stood Atlanta , at 24.0. The Falcons were scheduled to host the Rams on "Monday Night Football" and the Saints, who have won four straight, in their final game.
In choosing to ignore what he cannot control, Chubb is taking the incentives situation in stride.
"The individual success comes when the team succeeds," Chubb said. "I've never been one to be, 'I need this,' or 'Let's do this so I can get this.' Even when I was close in my sack incentives, I was just letting the game come to me, trying not to be the guy demanding stuff because that's going out of the way of what I believe in.
"If I get the money from the incentives from the top 20 finish or whatever, I get it. But if I don't, on to the next and just try to be the best version of myself every day."
Mike McDaniel praises Bradley Chubb for his character
In his postgame press conference, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel lauded a "guy who bets on himself for the sake of the team" in reference to Chubb, further praising the Dolphins' defensive leader for his character as much as his playing ability.
One might think that much money would have a defense rallying around its leader to get him his pay-day, trying to do everything feasible to finish in the top 20 in points allowed as the seasons' end draws near.
The defense is trying its best, but it's not for that reason. Some teammates said after the game they didn’t even knew about the unspoken contingency in Chubb's contract.
"I didn't know anything about that," defensive lineman Jordan Phillips said. "But he plays really hard and he does it for the organization. He loves us. He's an amazing leader. I take my hat off to him. It's all about the team with him."
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson echoed those sentiments.
"I didn't know about that, but that's his prerogative, that's his stuff," Dodson said. "We try to help him as much as possible."
Chubb's contract, signed in 2022, was a five-year rookie extension for $110 million, but it has since been restructured into a bonus and incentive-heavy deal. The changes in his contract reflect Chubb's willingness to stay with Miami as its defensive leader, but it also calls his future with the Dolphins into question.
With final game of the season in front of him, Chubb says that's a conversation for another day.
"I can't talk abut tomorrow, I can only focus on right now," Chubb said. "I love it here. I love the team we're building, but it's about to be a crazy offseason. We fired the GM, all the different things. I can only control what I can control, but I love the city of Miami, I'll say that."
Sunday's gameDolphins at Patriots4:25 p.m., FOXLine: Dolphins + 9 1/2
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Bradley Chubb kept quiet about 'catch' in Dolphins contract incentives
