On the NFL injury report, questionable means it is uncertain whether the player will play in the game, doubtful means it is unlikely he will play, and out means he will not play, according to the league's Injury Report Policy revisions. The three labels are game statuses, and they are separate from the practice labels that appear on the same report.
The three game statuses
| Status | NFL definition |
|---|---|
| Questionable | It is uncertain as to whether the player will play in the game |
| Doubtful | It is unlikely the player will participate |
| Out | The player will not play |
The definitions come from the NFL's announcement that its Competition Committee had approved revisions to the Injury Report Policy. The league states each definition in words and attaches no percentage chance to any of them.
The same announcement tells clubs which label to use when they are unsure. It said: "If there is any question concerning a player’s availability for the game, he should be listed as "Questionable.""
Why there is no probable status
The Game Status Report once had a probable label. The NFL said the revisions eliminated it because approximately 95 percent of the players listed as probable in prior years did play in the game. The revisions also redefined doubtful and questionable to the meanings in the table above.
What it means when a player has no game status
A player with an injury can be missing from the Game Status Report. Under the revised policy, a player who is certain to play is no longer listed there, even if he was on the club's practice report during the week.
If such a player is then deactivated for the game, the club must give the league an explanation and is subject to possible discipline, the NFL said.
Practice status is a separate label
The practice report describes how much an injured player did in practice. The NFL requires clubs to list injured players in one of three practice categories.
| Practice status | NFL definition |
|---|---|
| Did Not Participate | No further definition in the announcement |
| Limited Participation | Less than 100 percent of the player's normal repetitions |
| Full Participation | 100 percent of the player's normal repetitions |
The practice report has no out category. The league removed it to avoid confusion between the practice report and the Game Status Report.
Where to read the report
The NFL publishes the report on its official injury report page, which lists each player's position, injuries, practice status and game status for the week's games.