After announcing on Twitter earlier this week that he’s “ready for action,” former All-Pro safety Nick Collins spoke to Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin about his attempt to return to the NFL. While Collins admits that he probably won’t be back with the Packers, he says Green Bay’s team physician, Dr. Pat McKenzie, was the “only doctor” unwilling to medically clear him to play.
“I’ve been trying to get that opportunity for two years now and no one seems to want to take that chance,” Collins said. “But I’m ready if anybody is willing. I guess it’s all about just getting the teams to understand the [idea] of me coming back. They can bring me in, they can get their own doctors to look at me, they can do their own evaluation and we can go from there. If they say we can roll with it, I’ll take that chance.”
As Collins continues to pursue an NFL job, let’s round up a few more Wednesday items from around the NFC….
- In addition to extending the contract of head coach Ron Rivera, the Panthers also signed Rivera’s assistants to extensions, according to David Newton of ESPN.com.
- Kirk Cousins figures to be the subject of several trade rumors this offseason, but Mike Jones of the Washington Post believes the Redskins should probably hang onto their backup quarterback unless they’re offered a second-round pick or better.
- While Matt Cassel‘s decision to opt out of his contract with the Vikings could create an opportunity in Minnesota for Michael Vick, Cassel’s presence on the free agent market means the two quarterbacks will likely be competing for the same potential job openings, writes ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan.
- Now that Larry Fitzgerald has restructured his contract, the Cardinals should have some flexibility to retain their free agents. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com breaks down the team’s free-agents-to-be, ranking them from highest to lowest priority.
Collins needs to understand the liability here is on a team that would roll the dice, not him. If he gets paralyzed or dies on the field due in part to this past injury then that opens up any team and their doctors to MASSIVE lawsuits by him, the NFLPA, and/or his family. Due to this most teams are going to stay away, regardless of how he feels right now. It is also not just lawsuits, some doctors actually DO care about the players here as well and do not want to sign off if there is even a remote chance something worse can occur.
Agree. Ten years ago, maybe he’d get a chance. Not today with the league facing a illionois dollar lawsuit over concussions.