Due to injuries and rehabilitation, there are NFL players that will arrive to training camp unable to participate in practice. These players will either be listed on the "Physically Unable to Perform" list or PUP for short, or the Non-Football Injury list or NFI for short.
It can be quite confusing to keep up with the abbreviations and know the difference between which list players are on and what that exactly means in regards to their return.
PUP vs. NFI
PUP List
If a player is placed on the PUP list, it means that they are unable to participate in on-field practice with their team. These players can use the team's training facilities to help make their way back from injury and can attend team meetings.
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If a player is placed on the PUP before the regular season, it's referred to as the "Active" PUP list, if the player is still on the list at the start of the season, then it's referred to as the "Reserve" PUP list. Players must be medically cleared to return to the active roster, and if that doesn't happen before Week 1 of the regular season, then they have to spend the first six weeks of the season on the list before they are allowed to return.
NFL players that are designated to the PUP list do not count against the NFL 53-man roster, but it does take away from the the team's 90-man roster.
NFI List
If a player is placed on the NFI list, it means that they suffered an injury outside of football. Meaning it could have been an accident of some sort at home or even an illness. The Rookies, who suffered an injury while still playing at the collegiate level and then entered the NFL while still rehabbing the injury, are placed on the NFI list. That's because the injury didn't occur at an NFL facility.
Players on the NFI list must also be medically cleared before they are allowed to return to the practice field.
Players on the PUP and NFI lists are typically still paid their NFL salaries. There are some instances in which teams may choose not to pay a player's salary for an NFI injury if the cause of the injury violated the NFL's terms and agreement.
If a star player ends up on one of these lists early during training camp, that player could still be ready for Week 1 of the regular season.