Jermichael Finley could get $10 million if he retires from neck injury

The playing future of Jermichael Finley is in serious doubt following his neck injury last year against the Cleveland Browns but it appears he’s going to try and make a comeback that will see him play once again in 2014.

But while he can play again in 2014, something he clearly has been setting out to do since he started recovering from his neck injury, there is massive incentive to not play and medically retire from the NFL. It’s not the most ideal way to go, especially if Finley still feels he can play and has been cleared by a doctor outside of the NFL, but the numbers might suggest otherwise.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Finley could cash in on a $10 million insurance paycheck if he retires from the game citing his neck injury as the cause.

That’s not a small figure to sneeze at, as Finley needs to weigh the pros and cons of this situation. While he could very well make much more than $10 million if he plays another 10 years, he may not be able to last that long and is risking serious and costly injury each time he takes the field.

Taking the $10 million is not what NFL players want to do, as they’d much rather play, but the fact of the matter is Finley may not be able to afford to play anymore as the long term consequences could end up costing him in more than one way.