Do NFL Players on IR (Injured Reserve) Get Paid?

NFL players who are on IR (injured reserve) will get paid, but how much money they ultimately receive is highly dependent on the details of their individual contracts.

Players with fully guaranteed contracts will receive the full compensation they were promised in their contract. In the NFL, only powerful players with lots of leverage generally receive fully guaranteed contracts. 

For players without fully guaranteed contracts, they will still receive some money while on IR, but it’s generally only a fraction of their regular salary. After all, they weren’t available to perform their duty as a player.

That’s also assuming the player suffered an injury while performing football activities, like playing or practicing. If a player seriously hurts themselves doing something else, like snowboarding in the offseason, then there’s no guarantee from the team that the contract will be honored at all.

Young players with split contracts may also earn money while on IR, but their compensation levels are often tied to whether or not they are on the active 53-man roster.

Regardless of each player’s contract details, their salary still counts against the cap, regardless of health or status.

Do NFL Players On IR Get Paid for the Playoffs?

Yes, NFL players on IR get paid during the playoffs, just like players on the active team roster. However, playoff game checks are separate and additional than NFL contract pay, given that no team or player is guaranteed postseason games for any given season.