NFL Benches 'Probable' From Injury Reports

DENVER (The Sports Xchange) - The NFL is streamlining its injury-report procedures, removing the "probable" designation ahead of games.

Under the new guidelines, confirmed Sunday by the league, only three classifications will be used prior to games: "questionable," for those whose availability is uncertain; "doubtful," for those unlikely to play; and "out," for those who won't play.

The previous guidelines featured four categories: "probable," meaning a 75 percent chance of playing; "questionable," a 50 percent chance of playing; "doubtful," a 25 percent chance of playing; and "out."

According to multiple media reports, about 95 percent of the players listed as "probable" in recent years appeared in games, so the change was made to remove gamesmanship from injury reporting.

The NFL, which implemented the changes at the request of the competition committee, also altered the midweek injury report, removing the "out" category. Practice injury-report designations will be limited to "full participation," for players who took their full allotment of reps; "limited participation," for players who took less than their full allotment of reps; and "did not participate."

Teams that deactivate a player who wasn't listed on an injury report must submit an explanation to the NFL to avoid league sanction