NFL Week 18 contract incentives: Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen among players who earned bonuses in season finales

On Sunday, with about half the NFL already having been eliminated from postseason contention, there wasn’t much to play for, but for many players, there was still plenty on the line in the form of contract incentives for reaching particular benchmarks.

From sacks to receptions and yardage or even team rankings, multiple players in the final week of the season played for (and earned) bonus money reaching into the millions.

DL Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals

Campbell needed one sack to receive a $500,000 bonus for 7.5 sacks, but he didn’t get it.

RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

Dowdle needed 7 scrimmage yards to hit a $1 million bonus for 1,350 total yards. He managed that feat during Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but barely, gaining 10 yards on seven carries.

Dowdle also had a $250,000 bonus on the line if he scored a touchdown, but failed to hit that incentive in Week 18.

RB Nick Chubb, Houston Texans

Chubb was a healthy scratch Sunday against the Colts, preventing him from bringing home an extra $250,000 for gaining 600 rushing yards this season. He finished this regular season with 506 yards.

DL Arik Armstead, Jacksonville Jaguars

A quiet Sunday kept Armstead, who needed 1.5 sacks against the Titans, from earning a $1 million bonus for reaching seven total on the season.

S Austin Johnson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Johnson fell short of the one sack he needed against the Titans to collect on a $250,000 incentive.

DE Joseph Ossai, Cincinnati Bengals

Ossai was inactive Sunday against the Browns and missed a shot at a $250,000 bonus with a sack.

RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Pollard fell 16 yards short of gaining an extra $250,000. That yardage would’ve given him 1,000 on the season.

WR Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chiefs

With a touchdown in Week 18, Brown would’ve earned a $250,000 incentive, but he didn’t hit it. He could’ve earned another $125,000 with 102 receiving yards, but he finished with 64 on Sunday.

WR Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

Allen came into Sunday six receptions away from earning an extra $750,000 in bonus money for reaching 80 receptions this season; he ended the day with seven. He earned another $250,000 for gaining 750 receiving yards on the season. He didn’t score a touchdown, though — if he caught two on Sunday, he would’ve earned another $250,000.

LBs Bradley Chubb and Jordyn Brooks, CB Rasul Douglas, Miami Dolphins

Bradley Chubb hit multiple incentives in Week 17 but won’t be able to collect on them unless the Dolphins’ defense finishes ranked in the top 20 in the NFL. Chubb has reached more than $3 million in snap count incentives, over $2 million in sack incentives, plus another $900,000 for crossing the eight-sack milestone this season. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks and cornerback Rasul Douglas are in the same boat as Bradley, having already hit certain incentives but needing the defense to finish in the top 20 to collect.

Miami is currently the 21st-ranked defense (24.1 ppg) in the league behind Atlanta at No. 20 (24.0 points per game).

WR Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots

Diggs needed 30 yards to earn a $500,000 bonus for 1,000 yards, and he hit that mark as the Patriots defeated the Dolphins on Sunday. He also could’ve gained another $500,000 if he snagged eight balls to finish the season with 90 catches, but he caught just three on Sunday. He already earned a $500,000 bonus for 80 catches, which he hit in Week 17.

TE Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Henry needed five catches to collect $250,000 in incentives, and he got exactly that. He ended the season with 60.

EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, New England Patriots

Chaisson just needed half a sack to earn a $500,000 bonus for seven total on the season, and he notched a solo sack in Sunday’s win.

TE Adam Trautman, Denver Broncos

Trautman needed five catches Sunday to finish with 25 on the season for an extra $125,000, but he didn’t hit it.

RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

As the Eagles look toward the playoffs, they rested multiple starters on Sunday in a loss to the Commanders, including Barkley. Barkley could’ve snagged a $250,000 bonus for reaching 1,500 all-purpose yards this season. He fell 87 yards short, ending the season with 1,413 total yards.

CB Christian Bedford, Buffalo Bills

Benford needed two interceptions against the Jets to earn an extra $400,000, but he didn’t play in Sunday’s 35-8 win over the Jets.

CB Tre’Davious White, Buffalo Bills

White needed one interception to collect $250,000, but he didn’t play Sunday.

TE Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills

Knox had three separate incentives on the line, each valued at $100,000. He would’ve earn one of those by notching six more catches (he only had two). But he earned the other two by gaining seven more receiving yards (he had 24 on Sunday) and one for scoring a touchdown against the Jets.

RB Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills

Johnson needed two touchdowns to collect $250,000, but he only scored one on Sunday. He needed 57 receiving yards to gain another $125,000, but ended with 20.

DL DaQuan Jones, Buffalo Bills

Jones needed a sack to receive a $250,000 incentive, but did not play.

DE Joey Bosa, Buffalo Bills

Bosa needed one sack to earn a $250,000 payout, but did not play.

LB Matt Milano, Buffalo Bills

Milano needed 1.5 sacks to pick up $250,000, but did not play.

KR Kene Nwangwu, New York Jets

Kene Nwangwu could’ve notched a $500,000 payout if he returned a kick for a touchdown in Week 18, but it was not to be.

K Nick Folk, New York Jets

Folk could’ve snagged an extra $125,000 if he made two field goals in Week 18, but he did not play.

QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Darnold was within striking distance of $2 million in incentive money for hitting milestones for passing touchdowns (28), passing yards (4,000), completion percentage (67.5%), and passer rating (100).

Heading into Week 18, Darnold needed three touchdown passes, 150 passing yards, a 0.3 completion percentage increase, and a 0.8 passer rating increase to hit those bonuses.

Darnold managed to hit two of those incentives in Week 18, passing for over 150 yards and upping his completion percentage to 67.7 on the season.

WR Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers

Jennings earned a $2.4 million playing time incentive during Saturday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He can make an additional $600,000 with 35 more snaps in the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

WR Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders

He needed 93 receiving yards for a $200,000 bonus for 800 yards (he had just 20 on Sunday), and two touchdowns for a $250,000 bonus for eight touchdowns (he had none). He could’ve earned another $200,000 if he hit 10 catches in the game, but he had just two.

OLB Von Miller, Washington Commanders

Miller needed one sack for a $500,000 bonus for nine total on the year, and he got it.