Anatomic and Temporal Trends in Injured Reserve Placements in the National Football League: A 2025-2026 Season Analysis

Document Type

Conference Proceeding - Restricted Access

Publication Date

5-8-2026

Abstract

Injured Reserve (IR) placement in the National Football League (NFL) represents a significant indicator of injury burden and time loss among professional athletes. While specific injuries such as ACL and Achilles tears have been extensively studied, comprehensive analyses evaluating the anatomic distribution and seasonal timing of league-wide IR placements are limited. Identifying patterns in injury location and timing may provide insight into musculoskeletal load and cumulative fatigue across a competitive season. The purpose of this study was to evaluate (1) the anatomic distribution of IR placements across lower extremity, upper extremity, head/neck, and trunk injuries, (2) temporal trends in IR placements during the first half versus second half of the NFL season, and (3) the proportion of players reactivated from IR during the same regular season.

A retrospective review was conducted of all officially documented NFL Injured Reserve (IR) placements during the 2025-2026 regular season (September 4, 2025 - January 4, 2026). IR transaction data were obtained from the NFL's official IR database. Injury designations were confirmed using team weekly injury reports and cross-referenced with official team websites, ESPN, and CBS Sports. Postseason IR placements (n=17) were excluded to eliminate exposure bias. Injuries were categorized by anatomic region: lower extremity (e.g., knee, ankle, hamstring, Achilles), upper extremity (e.g., shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand), head/neck (e.g., concussion, cervical spine), and trunk (e.g., rib, back, abdominal). IR placements from September 4 - November 3 (Weeks 1-9) were classified as early season, and those from November 4 - January 4 (Weeks 10-18) as late season. Reactivation was defined as documented removal from IR within the same season.

A total of 392 regular-season IR placements were identified. Lower extremity injuries accounted for 270 (68.9%) placements, followed by upper extremity 70 (17.9%), head/neck 36 (9.1%), and trunk 16 (4.1%). Knee pathology represented the single most common injury category, accounting for 95 (24.2%) IR placements, including ligamentous injuries (ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL), dislocations, and patellar tendon tears. IR placements were more frequent during the latter half of the regular season, with 221 (56.4%) occurring in Weeks 10-18 compared with 171 (43.6%) in Weeks 1-9. Overall, 100 players (25.5%) had documented reactivation during the same regular season.

This league-wide analysis of the 2025-2026 NFL regular season identified clear anatomic and temporal trends in IR placements, with lower extremity injuries - particularly knee pathology - predominating and occurring more frequently in the latter half of the season. The low reactivation rate further underscores the substantial time-loss burden associated with these injuries. This study demonstrates that publicly reported transaction data provide a framework for identifying league-wide injury patterns and supporting future investigations focused on injury prevention.

Comments

2026 Research Day Corewell Health West, Grand Rapids, MI, May 8, 2026. Abstract 2103

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