Juanyeh Thomas (Image Credit: Getty Images)
In the NFL, managing the roster is a huge part of a team’s success. General managers have the job of keeping a 53-man roster intact, but as the season goes on, injuries can throw a wrench into even the best plans. That’s where injury designations like the PUP list come into play.

The NFL’s roster setup can be a bit tricky, so understanding the different injury designations is important for fans who want to keep up with all the team moves. One of the most important ones is the PUP list, which stands for “Physically Unable to Perform.” But how does it work exactly, and how does it differ from Injured Reserve (IR)?

What Is The PUP List?

PUP is short for “Physically Unable to Perform,“ and it’s a designation for players who are still recovering from injuries they suffered before training camp even started. Essentially, it helps teams manage players who aren’t healthy enough to practice but could still play a role in the upcoming season.

There are two types of PUP lists: Active/PUP and Reserve/PUP. When the team places a player on the Active/PUP list at the start of training camp, the player still counts toward the 90-man roster limit. The team allows these players to participate in team meetings and other activities but prevents them from practicing until the medical staff clears them. If the team clears a player and the player starts practicing during camp, the team must either activate the player on the roster or remove them from the list.
Bryce Hall (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Most teams eventually clear and activate players on the Active/PUP list before the regular season starts. However, if a player cannot participate in camp or practices by the time roster cuts occur, the team moves the player to the Reserve/PUP list. These players don’t count toward the 53-man roster, but they have to miss at least the first four games of the regular season.

Important Rules Of The PUP List

If a player is placed on the Reserve/PUP list, they have to sit out a minimum of four games. After that, they have a five-week window to start practicing. Once they do start practicing, they have three weeks to be activated to the 53-man roster.

If the player isn’t ready to return by the end of this period, they’ll stay on the PUP list for the rest of the season. This ensures players are physically ready before they come back and that teams don’t rush them into action too soon.

Teams also have a limited time to decide what to do with players on the PUP list. If they don’t activate the player within the allotted time, the player has to stay on the PUP list for the rest of the season. This helps teams manage their roster spots and avoid keeping players on the roster who can’t contribute for the season.

How Does The PUP List Differ From IR?

Reed Blankenship (Image Credit: Getty Images)
The PUP list and Injured Reserve (IR) both help teams manage injured players, but they apply in different situations. The primary difference is that teams use the PUP list for players who were hurt before training camp, while they use IR for injuries that occur during the season.

Teams require players on IR to miss at least four games. Once teams place players on IR, they cannot return unless the team designates them to come back. During the season, teams can choose up to two players to return from IR, and once teams activate those players, the players must sit out for another four weeks.

The PUP list offers more flexibility. During training camp, teams can activate players on the Active/PUP list as soon as the players become healthy. In contrast, when teams designate players on IR to return, those players must follow a stricter timeline to get back onto the field. Thus, the PUP list provides teams with greater flexibility in managing injured players, while IR serves for more serious or season-ending injuries.

All in all, the PUP list allows teams to handle injuries smartly while keeping their roster spots open. It lets teams retain players who are injured but still have a chance to return without counting them toward the 53-man limit. It is more flexible than IR since teams can activate players as soon as they’re ready, rather than adhering to a strict timeline as with IR.