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What the two parts of an NFL injury report mean
The NFL’s 2017 Injury Report Policy describes the Practice Report as an account of reportable injuries and a player’s participation during the practice week. It says the report is intended to give clubs and the public “an accurate description of a player’s injury status and his level of participation during the practice week.” NFL Injury Report Policy (2017)
The Game Status Report is separate: it tells readers the team’s expected availability assessment for the upcoming game. A practice entry describes what a player did in practice; it is not itself the game-status decision.
| Report element | What it tells you | Labels or entries |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Report | Whether the player participated in practice and the status of reportable injuries | Did Not Participate, Limited Participation, Full Participation |
| Game Status Report | The team’s expected availability for the upcoming game | Out, Doubtful, Questionable |
If a player appeared on the Practice Report during the week but is omitted from the Game Status Report, the policy says the team is certain that player will play. Do not treat that omission as the same thing as a missing or unpublished practice entry.
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What Did Not Participate, Limited, and Full mean?
These descriptions refer to practice participation, not a prediction about whether the player will appear in the game.
- Did Not Participate: The player did not take part in practice.
- Limited Participation: The player took part in a limited capacity.
- Full Participation: The player took part fully. This does not mean the team can omit a qualifying injury from the report.
Teams must list reportable injuries even when a player participates fully and the team is certain he will play. The policy describes automatic reporting cases that include an injury causing a player to miss a game, miss or leave practice, or participate on a limited basis. An injury affecting performance may also be reportable even if the player remains available.
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What do Out, Doubtful, and Questionable mean?
These are the Game Status Report’s availability labels. They describe the team’s status assessment, not a guaranteed outcome or a numeric chance of playing.
- Out: The player is designated unavailable for the game.
- Doubtful: The player is designated doubtful for the game.
- Questionable: The player’s availability remains uncertain.
The official policy establishes the labels but does not quantify how often players with any one designation play. In particular, “Questionable” should not be converted into a percentage or treated as a final decision. Read it alongside the practice entries and any subsequent update.
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A player who is rested for a reason unrelated to injury is not supposed to receive an injury status designation on the Game Status Report. The practice entry can identify the absence as “Not Injury Related.” That notation is different from an injury-related absence, and a practice absence alone does not establish that a player is injured.
When NFL injury reports come out
The NFL’s 2026–2027 Important Dates calendar sets regular-season deadlines by the scheduled game day. Reports are due by 4:00 p.m. New York time, or as soon as possible after practice. These calendar dates are subject to change. NFL 2026–2027 Important Dates
| Scheduled game | Practice Reports due | Game Status Report due |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Thursday, Friday, Saturday | Saturday |
| Wednesday | Sunday, Monday, Tuesday | Tuesday |
| Thursday | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday | Wednesday |
| Friday or Saturday | Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday | Thursday |
| Sunday | Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Friday |
An estimated injury report is not accepted on a day the team practices. If a player’s condition changes after the initial Game Status Report, the calendar requires the team to submit an update.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read a report without overinterpreting it
- Check the practice entries to see whether the player did not participate, was limited, or participated fully.
- Check the separate Game Status Report for Out, Doubtful, or Questionable—or whether a player listed during the week was omitted from that report.
- Look for a “Not Injury Related” practice notation before interpreting an absence as an injury.
- Check for a later update if the player’s condition changed after the initial game-status report.
These steps help separate the team’s reported practice activity from its game-availability designation. Neither participation level nor “Questionable” supplies a probability that the player will play.
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