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Can NFL players on IR practice?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 18, 2026

The player on IR may not return to active play for seven days, although they may participate in non-competitive events such as practice, meetings, etc.

What happens when a player goes on injured reserve?

Any player who was placed on injured reserve during camp or the preseason, before final roster cutdowns, have to stay there for the entire season.

How long do NFL players have to stay on IR?

After three weeks, the player becomes eligible to return to practice. Once he returns to practice, the team has 21 days to place him back on the active roster. Previously, a team had only two IR-return designations it could use in a season and a player was required to miss a minimum of eight weeks.

How many weeks do you miss on IR?

“The NFL just made it official in a memo to clubs: Unlimited players can return from a team's injured reserve list in 2021 and they're eligible after missing three games, rather than eight weeks, per source.

Do players on injured reserve get a Super Bowl ring?

The winning team can typically present any number of rings to whomever they choose, including usually, but not limited to: players (active roster, inactive roster, or injured reserve), coaches, trainers, executives, personnel, and general staff.

31 related questions found

What does placing a player on IR mean?

Being put on IR means that the player can't perform and is “not immediately available for participation with a club”, as per the NFL. There are also different designations, such as the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform), reserve/non-football injury, and reserve/non-football illness.

Do IR players get paid?

Those on injured reserve receive full pay for the season, but are forbidden to dress again that season regardless of whether they recover. Which raises the musical question: Why does injured reserve exist at all?

Do IR players count against the cap NFL?

Yes, once the season has started, all players – whether on the 53-man roster, Injured Reserve (IR), Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) or the Practice Squad (PS) – count against the team's Salary Cap. The only players that do not count against the Salary Cap are players who are on one of the NFL's exempt lists.

Is pup same as IR?

Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)

If an injured player isn't placed on PUP at the beginning of the year, a roster spot must be used on him, or he must be placed on Injured/Reserve (IR) to start the season (more on that below).

Why do teams put players on IR?

What is injured reserve? In its essence, injured reserve allows teams to stash players that have suffered an injury that would keep them out for a prolonged period of time.

When can a player return from IR?

The NFL just made it official in a memo to clubs: Unlimited players can return from a team's injured reserve list in 2021 and they're eligible after missing three games, rather than eight weeks, per source. A popular change spawned by COVID challenges stays for another year.

What happens when a player comes off IR fantasy?

If a player goes from OUT to no longer have an injury designation, the users roster is now INVALID and they must update accordingly.

Can you practice while on IR?

Once placed on IR, the team may then replace the player on their roster. The player on IR may not return to active play for seven days, although they may participate in non-competitive events such as practice, meetings, etc.

Why is my IR player locked?

If you're wondering why some of your players are locked and others aren't at the beginning of the week, individual roster slots lock when the team of the player in that slot begins their game. If you left an injured player in that slot, you may be out of luck for this week.

Can you add a player directly to IR?

If you have a healthy player in an IR slot, you cannot add any new players to your roster. When you attempt to sign a free agent with a healthy player in an IR slot, you will receive a message to clear your IR before you can make a claim.

Do IR players count against the 53 man roster?

Players on Reserve/Injured do not count on a team's active roster. Their contracts, however, still count (at a reduced rate) against the team's salary cap. Special note: when a player goes on Reserve/Injured list on (or before) the final cutdown day, they must remain on the list all the way through the season.

Why is Michael Thomas on the PUP list?

Michael Thomas Out for Season With Ankle Injury

Michael Thomas had surgery on his ankle before the season, but now has a separate ankle injury, which will result in him missing the rest of the season. Thomas posted on social media announcing the news. Thomas was eligible to return from the PUP list in week 7, but did…

What is the physically unable to perform list in NFL?

"Physically unable to perform"

This means PUP list players will neither play or practice during the first six weeks of season, however, they will be allowed to attend meetings arranged by the team, as well as use the medical and training facilities and equipment.

What happens if a NFL team is over the cap?

The NFL's cap is a hard cap that the teams have to stay under at all times, and the salary floor is also a hard floor. Penalties for violating or circumventing the cap regulations include fines of up to $5 million for each violation, cancellation of contracts and/or loss of draft picks.

How much do Waterboys in the NFL make?

On average, NFL waterboys make $53,000 per year (according to Stack.com). However, that's just the salary for beginners. For professionals, their salary can be higher as any other highest paid NFL waterboy.

Can a player on IR be traded?

Trades: Players on injured reserve can be traded if they were sent there after the aforementioned September 1 deadline. The acquiring team can then designate the player to return, or immediately activate the player if his previous team has already done so.

Who is the lowest paid football player in the NFL?

The Lowest-paid NFL player: Tyrone Swoopes

He slightly earned more in 2019, jumping up to $38,000. Between 2017 and 2019, he only managed two receptions for 28 yard on 109 offensive snaps in all his seven regular-season games. He was making $174,706 with the Hawks before he parted ways after the 2019 season.

What does IR in NFL mean?

The day after making final roster cuts, the Tennessee Titans put three players on injured reserve.

How many Titan players are on IR?

In total, the Titans had 54 players hit Injured Reserve over the course of the season, according to Spotrac, the fifth-most in the league. Of the teams in the top 10 of that list, only the Titans and Dallas Cowboys made the postseason.

How do I move a player to reserve in NFL fantasy football?

Select the gray box to the left of the player bar on desktop or the blue square in the app, then the up and down arrows icon (desktop) or one of the other blue square (app) that appear, to change the player's position in the roster. Team managers may also "drag and drop" the player using the same grey box on desktop.