How the NFL Injury Report Works: Practice Participation, Game Status and the Giants' Reports
Practice reports are due by 4 p.m. ET, designations come Friday for a Sunday game, and an absence for any reason other than injury must say why. The Giants' first six weeks of reports show each rule in use.
The NFL's injury report policy has three parts: a practice report, a game status report and an in-game injury report. All three have shown up on the Giants' reports this season.
The league's operations site hosts the full 2017 Personnel (Injury) Report Policy and a summary of the 2016 changes. The league has not posted a full policy text newer than 2017.
The practice columns
Each listed player gets one mark per practice day: DNP (did not participate), LP (limited participation) or FP (full participation). Under the 2017 policy, a player who gets "less than 100 percent" of his usual reps is limited, and falling short in either the individual drills or the team period is enough for that mark.
For a Sunday game, the columns are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The practice report is due by 4 p.m. ET under the 2017 policy, and the Giants' injury reports on Giants.com for Weeks 3-6 are stamped 4 p.m. For the Week 2 Monday night game against the Rams, the columns were Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
A team that holds a walk-through in place of a practice still files, rating players by what they would have done in a normal practice, under the policy. The Giants did that before Week 3 against Tennessee. Wednesday's column carried an asterisk: "Participation is a projection; the Giants conducted a walkthrough." Andrew Thomas was projected as limited that day, then did not practice Thursday and was limited Friday.
The 2016 summary requires a "significant or noteworthy" injury to appear even when the player fully practices and is expected to play. Thomas was a full participant all three days before the opener against Dallas and was listed with a knee injury and no game status.
Game status
Out means the player will not play. Doubtful means he is unlikely to play. Questionable means he is not certain to play. The league dropped "probable" in 2016, and NFL.com reported that about 95% of players listed as probable in earlier seasons had played. Under the policy, a player who missed practice time that week because of an injury must get a game status unless the club is certain he will play. GiantsGator's questionable explainer covers it in detail.
The 2017 policy makes game status due by 4 p.m. ET on Friday for a Sunday game, Saturday for a Monday game and Wednesday for a Thursday game. The Giants ruled out Jason Pinnock and Chauncey Golston on Friday, Oct. 9, for the Week 5 game at Washington. For the Week 2 Monday game, designations came Saturday, Sept. 19. The 2016 summary says game status is due "the day before" the game.
Practice participation and game status are separate decisions. Malik Nabers was questionable for Week 1 after three full practices. In Week 4, Thomas was limited Friday, and no Giants player got a designation.
Not injury related
An absence with no injury behind it still goes on the report. The policy lists examples such as resting veterans, team discipline, jury duty, illness in the family and personal matters, and requires the club to explain the reason.
The Giants have used the category twice. John Michael Schmitz was listed "Not Injury Related - Personal" and did not practice Friday, Oct. 2, after appearing on neither the Wednesday nor the Thursday report. Najee Harris had the same listing when he missed practice Wednesday, Oct. 7, then practiced fully the next two days. This week, Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux is listed "Not Injury Related - Rest" and did not practice Thursday.
Injured reserve
A player designated to return from injured reserve can practice for up to 21 days. By the end of that window, the team must add him to the 53-man roster or leave him on injured reserve for the season, as GiantsGator's injured reserve explainer lays out.
The policy says players back at practice from the Exempt List or a reserve list, including those "designated for return," "should not be listed" on either the practice report or the game status report. Washington and New Orleans have listed such players this season. Washington's Week 5 report included running back Jeremy McNichols with the note "Reserve list, currently in 21-day practice window." He was limited all week and ruled out. This week, New Orleans lists long snapper Zach Wood (calf), full both days, with the note that he "has returned to practice. He is currently on Reserve/Injured." No Giants player on injured reserve has appeared on the team's report this season.
Concussions and in-game injuries
The policy wants in-game injury news to be factual and fast, and to reach the TV broadcaster, reporters covering the game and the crowd all at once. Each announcement must name a body part. After a collision that could cause a concussion, the press box must be told the player is being evaluated.
At Washington on Sunday, the Giants' in-game injury report listed Jermaine Eluemunor (calf), Colton Hood (concussion) and Tyler Nubin (neck). All three were DNP on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Under the policy, a player found to have a concussion during a game is kept from reporters until an independent neurological consultant clears him. A return to play also requires clearance under the league's concussion protocol from the team physician and an independent neurological consultant.
One player's report, two weeks
Pinnock left the Oct. 4 win over Arizona with a concussion. His lines since:
| Week | Wed | Thu | Fri | Game status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 at Washington | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| 6 vs. New Orleans | LP | FP | — | — |
The report records participation only. It does not say where a player stands in the concussion protocol.
What the report does not say
The policy requires a body part described "with a reasonable degree of specificity." "Leg," "arm" and "upper body" are not acceptable, and a quarterback's arm or hand injury and a kicker's or punter's leg or foot injury must be marked left or right. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is listed this week with a left hand injury and was a full participant both days.
The report does not grade an injury or give a timeline. Eluemunor's line this week reads "calf" and two DNPs. Under the policy, breaking the rules can bring commissioner discipline: a fine for the club, fines or suspensions for the people involved and possibly the loss of draft picks.
The Giants' Friday report, with the first game designations for Sunday's game against New Orleans, is due by 4 p.m. ET Friday.