Questionable, doubtful and out
An NFL term
The three game-status labels the NFL requires teams to publish before a game. Out means he is not playing. Doubtful means he is very unlikely to play. Questionable means genuinely uncertain, and it is the only one worth watching.
Teams must file injury reports through the week, listing participation as full, limited or none, then attach a game status at the end.
Questionable is the label with real ambiguity, and it is also the one teams use most freely, because the rules leave room for it.
The reports exist for transparency, and the league fines teams that misuse them. That is why a coach will list a healthy star as questionable and get a phone call about it.
You’ll hear it like this
He practiced in full on Friday and was still listed as questionable.
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Checked 2026-08-07.