It’s definite that “probable” no longer will be part of the NFL injury lexicon.
As first noted (as best we can tell) by Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald and as the league office confirms, the widely-misconstrued P-word has been dumped from the injury reporting procedures.
“The ‘Probable’ category was eliminated from the Game Status Report because approximately 95 percent of the players who were listed as ‘Probable’ in prior years did in fact play in the game,” the league explained.
There was a reason for that high percentage of participation. Although many believed that “probable” suggested a 75-percent likelihood of playing, it actually meant that the player was virtually certain to be available for normal duty. After the Falcons scratched quarterback Mike Vick, who had been listed as probable with a knee injury, from a 2005 game against New England, the league reminded teams of the true meaning of “probable,” and it began routinely investigating situations in which a player listed as “probable” did not actually play.
The NFL also has changed the meaning of “questionable” and “doubtful”; previously, the “questionable” category reflected a 50-50 likelihood of playing, and “doubtful” meant a 75-percent chance the player wouldn’t play. Now, “questionable” simply means that “it is uncertain as to whether the player will play in the game,” and “doubtful” means that “it is unlikely the player will participate.”
So, basically, any player whose chances of playing are less than 100 percent is “questionable,” and any player whose chances of playing are 49.9999 percent of less is “doubtful.” While these changes streamline the process, they create a much broader range for “questionable,” allowing visiting teams to keep the truly injured players under wraps until they head to the site of the game and leave the injured players behind. For home teams, the question of whether a “questionable” player will play won’t be finally resolved until the list of inactive players is filed 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
All thanks to those whiney losers who think their fantasy football team means anything …
This is actually bad news for fantasy football. It will be tough to know if you can field a starting lineup until just before gametime.
Belicheat isn’t going to be happy with this…
So is this like the catch rule? You know, the one no one can figure out?
These categories were always about gambling and curbing the attempt at inside info.
It keeps all team employees who have inside info from selling that info.
Yeah awful news for fantasy. Many players will be in starting lineups who were late scratches. Annoying.
Will this change the way the Patsies* lie on their injury report?
Where do the cheating (and unpunished) Colts fit “lacerated kidney” and “broken ribs” under now? Oh wait, they don’t have to list them. They are part of the “untouchable 4” along with ny giants. Ny jets. Denver Broncos.
This is a rule change to try and stop bill bellies cheating
This questionable decision leaves me doubtful that my liking it is not probable.
I’m out.
It’s funny how the injury report is only to appease the gamblers and every single idiot that plays fantasy. It won’t be long before the league mandates receiver x cannot play if he’s listed as probable because it’s more likely than not that he won’t produce and the fantasy ratings will drop.
What??? I don’t see how they possibly saw this as a good idea. Injury reports just got much more confusing, and I don’t see any benefit to it.
Belicheat isn’t going to be happy with this…
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Another idiot who doesn’t get it. Belichick, who despises the injury report, will welcome this change which now creates a fairly worthless injury report.
The NFL is starting to catch up with the gamblers. For years it’s been: Doubtful = out, and the answer to the Question is “Yes”.
Create stupid rules, get stupid results.
100% of the pats will be questionable every week.
If this means that less players will end up on the injury report, then this is a good change. However, if this just means that everybody that used to be probably will not just be listed as Questionable, along with the players who are truly Questionable, then this will be a disaster.
Seriously PFT, you need an edit button. “not” above in my post should be “now”. Practically changes the whole meaning of the sentence.
Who cares about fantasy football? I always thought that those injury reports were for the benefit of people betting on the games (the “real” games).
celticsforever says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:34 PM
Where do the cheating (and unpunished) Colts fit “lacerated kidney” and “broken ribs” under now? Oh wait, they don’t have to list them. They are part of the “untouchable 4” along with ny giants. Ny jets. Denver Broncos.
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wah, wah! I’m guessing two of those teams on your “untouchable 4” are only on there because the Pats can’t beat them in the playoffs.
It’s more probable than not that this will make fantasy football a lot more complicated.
They should add a “Suspended” category to the injury report.
backintheday99 says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:11 PM
These categories were always about gambling and curbing the attempt at inside info.
It keeps all team employees who have inside info from selling that info.
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Actually, this does the reverse. Knowledge of who is going to actually play is now more of a secret than before. The information those team employees have is now worth much more money, not less.
Another step backward for the NFL.
Wow this is going to completely change fantasy football.
This change tells you everything you need to know about the NFL’s understanding of probabilities. They were apparently unhappy that 95% of the players listed as “probable” actually played. What’s funny about it is that most scientists would regard that figure (95%) as a basic threshold for saying something is truly “probable.” In other words, the previous system was working perfectly.
This should help put Bill Belichick on the same level as the coaches who are always honest with their injury reports.
Bill has a knack for making inaccurate injury reports and abusing the questionable tag. This should help put a stop to that.
GREAT THROWBACK PHOTO! The original Madden on the Sega Genesis! Classic and nice touch!
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
atwatercrushesokoye says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:53 PM
celticsforever says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:34 PM
Where do the cheating (and unpunished) Colts fit “lacerated kidney” and “broken ribs” under now? Oh wait, they don’t have to list them. They are part of the “untouchable 4” along with ny giants. Ny jets. Denver Broncos.
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wah, wah! I’m guessing two of those teams on your “untouchable 4” are only on there because the Pats can’t beat them in the playoffs
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Actually I’m a skins fan so your pats comment it completely pointless. But how are you going to feel with your team going 7-9 and the pats in the final 4 again? Those 4 teams cheat and go unpunished because former ny jet intern Goodell runs the league. Except when mara has his hand up his rear end.
And actually, you as a human being on this planet is pointless.
Great, now they just have to work on words like catch and integrity.
Only a lawyer could think the word virtually means something other than ‘not really’
youknowiknowitall says:
Another idiot who doesn’t get it. Belichick, who despises the injury report, will welcome this change which now creates a fairly worthless injury report.
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Another idiot who sees Belicheat through rose-colored classes and thinks he walks on water.
Tom Brady is already Questionable for Week 5.
Maybe you’re right Mike, but upon first reading I didn’t interpret it the way you did. The league should leave the questionable and doubtful definitions the way they were and point out that anyone who previously would have been classified as probable, should be left off of the list. Is there still an “out” designation? I think more clarification will be forthcoming.
Buffalo Bills will probably have a questionable mark on the whole team, including the coaches.
Did the league ever complete their investigation into the Colts’ organization’s failure to report Andrew Luck’s broken ribs? Moreover when is the league planning to suspend Andrew Luck for 75% of the Colts’ footballs being under the legal limit in the AFCCG? What kind of kangaroo court is Goodell running?
….And once again.. Las Vegas gets it’s way. To only have sports gambling legal in one state is UNAMERICAN !
How can one state have a monopoly when the rest of us are criminals?
Our government IS organized crime.
There is just no rational excuse for this anymore. The players are making so much money now days, they cannot be bribed to throw a game.
The days of the Black Sox is OVER.
Who is benefiting most from legal sports betting only in Nevada?
ORGANIZED CRIME.
If it’s not broke, fix it. Standard operating procedure under Goodell.
So now you can list the entire team as questionable since every player likely has some boo boo, bump or bruise.
Belichick has been doing this for years. This evens the playing field for all other teams who were actually following the rules.
Im still waiting for the 1st change these idiots Goodell and Blandino make that is actually good for the game.
What a bunch of idiots. And these 2 clowns are making about $51 million per yr to be morons and dumb
The NFL will soon change to “alive,” “dead,” and “improbable.”
Or follow the NHL’s equally vague pronouncements.
drainbameged says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:02 PM
Belicheat isn’t going to be happy with this…
Actually, I think Bill is going to love this! He barely says anything and no he will have to say even less.
revelation123 says:
Aug 21, 2016 4:20 PM
This should help put Bill Belichick on the same level as the coaches who are always honest with their injury reports.
Bill has a knack for making inaccurate injury reports and abusing the questionable tag. This should help put a stop to that.
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You really have no understanding of how the change is going to work, it plays right into what you accuse him of not against it. Can’t help but wonder if the time when you made that post had something to do with that…
albloch, You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT when you wrote “100% of the pats will be questionable every week.”
jrebar88 says:
Aug 21, 2016 2:48 PM
All thanks to those whiney losers who think their fantasy football team means anything …
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I don’t think that’s true. This makes total sense and allows the teams to manage injuries way more easily. It’s just a smart decision.
So now if there’s a 99% chance a player WILL play, he is still “questionable” (because it’s not certain he will play). Leave it to Goodell to come up with something that stupid.
At least the old “probable” designation, told you there was a 75% chance he would play.
gettingzygiwithit says:
Aug 21, 2016 5:26 PM
Belichick has been doing this for years. This evens the playing field for all other teams who were actually following the rules.
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Belichick has been doing what for years? I don’t think anyone here can articulate what this so called abuse of the injury report is that BB always has been doing. It’s not exactly hard to investigate and he has never had any issues.
95% of probable players played. Not just the Patriots players and it wasn’t against any rules. As you can see, the league was investigating when probably players didn’t play. It was a dumb status and it has been removed.
As for evening the playing field, it just means the opposing team will have way less knowledge of what guys will be playing across the board. It helps the Patriots equally.
nolasoxfan2012 says:
Aug 21, 2016 4:08 PM
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I agree. However, I never stated one way or the other as to how these changes would affect anything.
drainbameged says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:02 PM
Belicheat isn’t going to be happy with this…
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He’s going to love it. He can make anyone questionable he wants now and it’s legal.
He doesn’t care what other teams do or do not do. He preps for the whole roster until either a) people don’t fly with the team or b) 90 min before game time. He doesn’t care about the injury report.
This is a total cluster. Lets just cancel the season until they figure this out. Ok so if the star player has a hang nail he can be ‘questionable’ and if a player is hit by a car and hospitalized he’s doubtful. Got it!
so what you are saying is that “questionable” actually means questionable and “doubtful” actually means doubtful. Okay got it. How is this a story?
Means absolutely nothing. Freak out as you may.
I cannot believe that the NFL has actually spent time working on this “solution”… scratch that, yes I can. It didn’t really need to be fixed, so the NFL tried to fix it… and made it more confusing.
I know if I’m a head coach, I’m naming every injured player as Questionable now to keep my opponent guessing as to who to prepare for.
Its hilarious that the first thing people respond with is “durr how will the Pats cheat now?” when the article itself shows how the Pats were the original victims of this.
Not that you guys are whiny children ranting from your mother’s basement or anything.
This article has nothing to do with the Patriots specifically but there are already several comments about Belichick.
He doesn’t rent space in all the other teams and their fans heads.
He now lives there for free. Lmao.
This report is “questionable”
They’ll just replace all statues with “more probable than not” eventually.
revelation123 says:
Aug 21, 2016 4:20 PM
This should help put Bill Belichick on the same level as the coaches who are always honest with their injury reports.
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Which coaches would that be?
I’ll make it easy. Just name one.
How is this enforced anyway? Probable, questionable, doubtful…all can practice and travel if necessary, right? So is someone watching this telling coaches “wait now…your “questionable” players are playing more than 50% of the time!” I don’t get how that works.
mclennon99 says:
Aug 21, 2016 7:24 PM
I know if I’m a head coach, I’m naming every injured player as Questionable now to keep my opponent guessing as to who to prepare for.
Yeah I dont think they really thought this through. Much like the new kickoffs
it aint broke so let’s break it!
why are millennials so stupid? every time they try to sound smart, like in this case claiming the greatest gm/coach to ever live, somehow won’t like this new rule.
they just keep running their mouths, not realizing how dumb they are.
it is comical but also scary and sad
Well, “Probable” on the injury report was translation for “duh.”
Still, the removal will make a lot of gamblers and fantasy football players even more nervous than they could ever be.
It seems some people need to google the Fox Sports article entitled:
“Another Spygate? Former Patriots say team is cheating injury reports”
PFT covered it too.
“You really have no understanding of how the change is going to work, it plays right into what you accuse him of not against it. ”
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Actually when the Questionable tag is used on probable players, that’s to Bill’s advantage over teams which don’t do it. Now with all probable players being questionable, it removes that advantage.
“Which coaches would that be?
I’ll make it easy. Just name one.”
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Mike McCarthy.
Nearly all coaches typically have reliable injury reports besides Bill Belichick.
The Vegas Line is STILL tightly controlled through guys with striped shirts and whistles.
When that doesn’t work, the Clowns in the suits in NYC, get them under the hood to remind them, ‘of the rules’.
PFT’s Most Moderated says:
Aug 21, 2016 5:00 PM
youknowiknowitall says:
Another idiot who doesn’t get it. Belichick, who despises the injury report, will welcome this change which now creates a fairly worthless injury report.
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Another idiot who sees Belicheat through rose-colored classes and thinks he walks on water.
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Oh, yeah????
NFL statement on BSPN is hilariously so NFL. So in addition to not knowing science, Goodell and the other morons running the NFL don’t understand English and vocabulary. Again, all things most of us learned in 1st grade.
Their statement scrolling across my screen said it was to deter teams from listing relatively healthy players on the Injury report. These morons know that means Probable right? LMAO Obviously not. And of course if teams didnt list them and were a late scratch it would be an NFL investigation into why.
I mean did these clowns running the league pass anything in school or did they get moved along because of who Mommy & Daddy were?
mclennon99 says:
Aug 21, 2016 7:24 PM
I know if I’m a head coach, I’m naming every injured player as Questionable now to keep my opponent guessing as to who to prepare for.
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Well you’re not a head coach, so shut up.
I’m laughing so hard at all the clowns who waste their lives playing fantasy football. It’s like dungeons & dragons for sports nerds.
Pathetic little nerds……….
Not even FIFA bother with any of this mandatory reporting which we can all see is part guesswork, part hope, part BS. Players can also be guilty of talking down or up any issue depending on how much they want to play, or contract obligations, or locker-room politics. And even if honest/accurate on that day it can easily change by Sunday.
I also follow the Premier League in England and all that the teams are technically obligated to do, at a minimum, is provide a team-sheet of starters and substitutes’ names and details to game officials an hour or so before the kickoff. And yes, they still somehow manage fantasy football without any fuss.
albloch says:
Aug 21, 2016 3:39 PM
Create stupid rules, get stupid results.
100% of the pats will be questionable every week
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Touche’ Your post is exactly what I thought after I read this article……lol…..
I, also, play fantasy football and this is not a good thing for those of us who do 😦
All you sad salty fools trying to take snipes at Belichick!
Firstly, ALL teams try to give as little away as possible in their reports.
Secondly, the Pats in recent years have suffered far more than the average injury totals – according to CBS (23rd Dec, 2015) the Pats were the most injured team of 2015, and yet they still got to the AFCCG. Because they’re that great.
Thirdly, the Pats don’t have a set plan or set starters – every week is separately game planned meaning Brady could come out one week and pass 50+ times or hand it off 50 times, requiring completely different player duties. And they rotate positions far more than other teams. This made meeting the old reporting system extremely problematic because a guy may be “probable” but not game-planned, or “doubtful” but still just manage to be rotated in on a single key play he’s got the smarts for, so “questionable” was safer so as not to flag up reporting rules every week. But whatever BB does, sad haters gonna cry because they are too small minded to appreciate the intricacies of the sport or appreciate the best ever HC and his game-planning – one that can take Cassell to 11-5 or the most banged up team to within a play of the SB.
Wonder how Belicheat will find a work around this one. Of course, this is just another rule put in place to combat their legacy of cheating.
#shame- shame- shame
Don’t know about other Pats fans, but I’m pretty darn proud of our 4 SB trophies in 15 years of a league that was deliberately set up for parity.