NFL teams dealing with a ton of injuries will have to navigate the second half of the 2022 regular season under new injured reserve rules.
In the previous two seasons, there was no limit as to how many players a team could bring off IR due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But that’s no longer the case. Teams will now be capped once they hit a certain number of IR activations.
As the race to the playoffs really heats up, here’s what to know about the new IR rules.
What is injured reserve in the NFL and how does it work?
A player can be placed on injured reserve after suffering a football injury. If a player suffers a non-football injury, they are eligible for the non-football injury (NFI) list.
The benefit of IR is it doesn’t count toward a team’s 53-man roster. So when a team moves a player from its active roster to IR, it opens up a 53-man roster spot. Once a player is placed on IR, they are unable to play in any games until being activated.
There is no limit on how many players a team can place on IR, but there is a limit as to how many can be designated to return. A team can bring a maximum of eight players off IR throughout the season. The same player can be activated off IR up to two times, but both activations would subtract from the team’s allowed total of eight.
From 2012-16, teams were only allowed to activate one player off IR before the number was increased to two from 2017-19.
How many games must an NFL player miss while on IR?
A player must be sidelined for a minimum of four games before coming off IR. In 2020 and 2021, a player on IR was only required to miss three games.
Does a bye week count toward an NFL player’s IR stint?
A bye week does not count toward a player’s stay on injured reserve.
Does an NFL player get paid while on injured reserve?
A player still gets paid – and counts toward the salary cap – while on IR.
FAQs
Officially, the NFL requires teams to report injuries so that teams are on a level playing field in terms of strategy. Unofficially, the NFL requires teams to report injuries so that the betting world knows how to approach the game.
What is an injury waiver in the NFL? ›
“Waiving” an injured player is basically informing the league about that player's injury. The player then goes through the same “waiver wire” above, and undergoes one of two options: a certain team puts in a claim for him, or no team claims him.
Do NFL teams get charged a timeout for an injury? ›
For example, if there is an injury timeout after the two-minute warning, the team of the injured player will be charged a timeout, if they haven't already used the three they get per half, according to the NFL rulebook.
What is the NFL injury clause? ›
An injury guarantee in the context of the NFL refers to a contractual provision that ensures a player will receive a specified portion of their salary if they suffer a career-ending injury or are unable to play due to injury.
Are the Bengals fined for not reporting injury? ›
“After the investigation by the league the NFL has found the Bengals liable for hiding Joe Burrow injury and not reporting it on the injury report.” The punishment? The NFL snatched the Bengals' 2024 1st round and 3rd round picks, and a 2025 6th round pick. Additionally, the team was also fined half a million dollars.
Are you not allowed to show your legs in the NFL? ›
Since 1945, the NFL has mandated that players cover every inch of their legs, via some combination of pants, stockings or socks.
Are injury waivers enforceable? ›
In California, liability waivers are used to help shield businesses from being sued if someone gets injured on their property. Whether they are enforceable or not depends on how well they are drafted and whether gross negligence was involved.
How much is a typical NFL injury settlement? ›
An Injury Settlement is usually based on the amount of time that the team and player agree the player will be unable to play. So, for example, if the player is only expected to miss the first month of the season, the team and player will usually agree to a settlement of 4/17ths of the player's scheduled base salary.
What is the difference between a waiver and a release? ›
The term waiver is sometimes used to refer a document that is signed before any damages actually occur. A release is sometimes used to refer to a document that is executed after an injury has occurred.
Do NFL players get paid if they miss a game due to injury? ›
The amount of money a player receives while injured or recovering from an injury depends on what has been agreed upon in their individual contract. With non-football injuries, it is left to the discretion of the team as to whether the player is to be paid.
The origins are from the early years in the National Football League (NFL) when the official game time was kept by a member of the officiating crew, with the stadium clock being unofficial. Its purpose was a checkpoint to ensure that the teams knew how much time remained in the game.
What is the injury reserve rule in the NFL? ›
INJURED RESERVE
Officially, it's called the reserve/injured list but is commonly referred to simply as IR. Teams place players on this list when they have a football-related injury and will need to miss at least a few weeks. Players on IR don't count against the active roster.
What does "designated to return from IR" mean? ›
In football, there is IR (Injury Reserve) and IR/Designated for Return. This new IR/Designated for Return was created in 2012 to allow a team to put one player on IR that is eligible to come back during the season. The team can put a player on the IR/Designated for Return list only if...
How do injury guarantees work in the NFL? ›
Injury guarantee: If a player is released but is currently unable to perform football duties (i.e., doesn't pass a physical) as a result of team activities, the player is entitled to any money in his contract protected against injury. An injury-only guarantee is the most common in terms of partially guaranteed money.
What is the difference between IR and O? ›
Eligible designations - IR (Injured Reserve), NFI-R (Non-Football Injury (Reserve)), NFI-A (Non-Football Injury (Active)), O (Out) and Physically Unable to Perform (PUP).
Why does the NFL release injury report? ›
The Personnel (Injury) Report Policy has been a cornerstone of public confidence in the NFL for many decades. The credibility of the NFL, teams, owners and team personnel requires full compliance with and uniform enforcement of the policy. The intent is to provide full and complete information on player availability.
Do NFL teams have to report illnesses? ›
NFL rules require teams to report such illnesses and injuries on the injury report, as it prevents teams from getting a competitive advantage.
Why do you have to report as an eligible receiver? ›
“To allow the defense an opportunity to match personnel to avoid deception, and to ensure fairness, the player must immediately report the change in his eligibility status to the referee, who will inform the defensive team and will make an announcement to the stadium before that play.
Why does an injury report matter? ›
Quickly reporting injuries allows the company the chance to provide options for proper treatment in a timely manner. Not following the reporting process can cause someone to miss out on receiving early treatment and may be a violation of company rules and procedures.
