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It’s only Week 1, but are NFL teams already trying to lose on purpose and “tank” for the 2026 NFL Draft?
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Some are thinking it.
The first full NFL Sunday of the season is here. Hope springs eternal for everyone in the league. However, some teams might not be very interested in winning this year. In fact, two NFL teams have already been accused of “losing on purpose.”
The Dolphins, who will take on the Raiders on Sunday afternoon, have already been accused of trying to “lose on purpose” by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
It’s happened before, allegedly.
“Seven years ago, the Dolphins were seemingly trying to lose. (And, eventually, owner Stephen Ross allegedly offered former coach Brian Flores $100,000 for each game he lost, as Miami tried to get in position to draft Joe Burrow.) As the 2026 season begins, some in league circles are wondering whether the Dolphins are tanking all over again,” Florio wrote.
“Given the 2019 plan, true or not, it’s tempting to think the Dolphins plan to let nature take its course. The better view may be that they’re simply trying to craft a batch of chicken salad from a rancid pile of poultry poo.”
Then, there are the Browns
The Browns, meanwhile, started Deshaun Watson behind center on Sunday. He’s already thrown an interception and the team is getting blown out by the Jaguars.
Are they tanking on purpose?
“The only reason to keep playing Deshaun Watson is to guarantee that you will have the worst record possible. Which feels like a real possibility. The #Browns might engage in investigation-worthy tanking if they keep playing him,” Jeff D. Lowe of Barstool Sports shared.
“If the goal is to lose all of their games, then you gotta keep trotting Deshaun Watson out there.”
It’s early, but these teams aren’t avoiding the allegations, at least not right now.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 11:44 AM.