ScottF

NFL streamlines injured players' game status, removes 'probable' designation

Last year 95% of players listed as probable played

RailBoss

Makes sense that probable status was ridiculous.

Rugby Saint II

Wasn't JJ Watt doubtful?

burningmetal

I have always wondered why the designations even exist. Fantasy football players would probably go insane without it, but this has been around long before fantasy football. I don't know if the designations have always existed, but I'm not aware of any time where they didn't.

Who's business is it to know whether or not a guy is going to play? Just as long as they notify the league prior to kickoff who will be inactive, that should be fine. Just one of the many things the NFL does to force itself on it's teams, instead of letting them use a little gamesmanship, like other sports do.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

SaintsBro

It has to do with gambling. If Bookie "A" knows that Tom Brady cut his finger and won't play this week, but Person #B on the street doesn't know that, Person B can lose a lot of money to Bookie A, betting on the Patriots that week. In theory, publishing ALL the injuries removes the ability of people with "inside information" about injuries or players, to benefit from it by betting on the outcome based on knowing who's hurt. In reality, it doesn't really work, that often, but that is the historical origins of why they do it. To prevent unfair advantages in old-school gambling.