Non-football injury and illness

Non-football injury and non-football illness (NFI) are roster designations used in the National Football League (NFL) for players who are unable to practice as a result of conditions unrelated to football, or injuries that did not occur during NFL games or practices.

Players on the reserve/non-football injury or reserve/non-football illness lists are ineligible to practice or play in games for the first six weeks of the regular season.

Only up to two players from the NFI lists are eligible to return to the active roster for each NFL team.

[1] NFL teams are not required to pay base salaries to players placed on the reserve/non-football injury or reserve/non-football illness lists.

[3] Former New England Patriots offensive tackle Marcus Cannon began his rookie season on the non-football illness list as he recovered from chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2011.