Report: TE Jermichael Finley Says Steelers Have Showed Him A Few Deals

[GBMelBlount]

Former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley is still looking for a team play for in 2014 as he attempts to comeback from a spinal contusion injury that suffered last October and apparently the Pittsburgh Steelers have offered him a contract.

“Pittsburgh have showed me a couple deals, but we all know the money ain’t what it’s supposed to be,” Finley said, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “If I quit the game right now, I can take tax-free money, and that’s a difficult thing that I’m going through with myself …”

The tax-free money that Finley is referring to is a $10 million insurance policy that he will collect if he never plays again.

According to Pelissero, Finley will undergo another round of medical tests Wednesday and then send the results to all 32 teams in hopes of landing on a roster before training camp. The tight end had his C-3 and C-4 vertebrae fused a month after suffering the injury by Steelers team neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon, who reportedly cleared him to resume playing back in the early part of June during a visit to Pittsburgh.

The Steelers interest in Finley is a little bit surprising, but judging by the tight end’s comments, he likely was only offered a one or two-year deal for close to the minimum.

Unless he’s willing to take a deal like that, I don’t think that he will wind up in Pittsburgh.

Pelissero also reports that Finley has visited the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. He reportedly failed the Seahawks physical, however.

“As long as I wait, you know and I know, guys are going to go down and the money’s going to shoot up,” Finley said. “It’s all a waiting game right now.”

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2014/07/free-agent-te-jermichael-finley-says-steelers-showed-deals/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SteelersDepotBlog+%28Steelers +Depot+Blog%29

[fansince'76]

He reportedly failed the Seahawks physical, however.

Oh yeah, back up the Brinks truck for this guy. :coffee:

[muncher]

yea, this guy cares about the game.......pass

[Shoes]

No thanks!

[salamander]

Yeah, no thank you.

[Texasteel]

Finley has had a pretty good game till he was injured. If I had to chose between 10 mil. for retiring and taking a lot less to try a to get back into the game I think I know which one I would pick. If he comes here I hope he does well. If he leaves the game, I hope he has a great time with the rest of his life.

[steelreserve]

He reportedly failed the Seahawks physical, however.

I'm surprised Richard Sherman didn't start talking trash about it, and then the comments section of ESPN blew up with Seahawks fans calling everyone who was sick of Sherman a racist or another whiny Niners fan.

[fansince'76]

I'm surprised Richard Sherman didn't start talking trash about it, and then the comments section of ESPN blew up with crybaby Seahawks fans bleeding all over their feminine napkins and calling everyone who was sick of Sherman a racist or another whiny Niners fan.

Fixed...

[86WARD]

So if the money is there, he has the ability to play and he'll take it. If it's not there, all of a sudden he's disabled and he'll take the insurance money?

[fansince'76]

So if the money is there, he has the ability to play and he'll take it. If it's not there, all of a sudden he's disabled and he'll take the insurance money?

Apparently, he collects on the policy if he misses four games before October 20. I'd imagine he'll probably sign with someone before midseason.


The free agent tight end can enter a claim on a $10 million insurance policy if he doesn't play in four games before Oct. 20, 2014 - the one-year anniversary of his spinal cord injury. The Steelers play their seventh game the night of Oct. 20.

Jermichael Finley eligible to make claim on $10 million insurance policy if he misses four games by Oct. 20 (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-news/2014/7/15/5901015/nfl-free-agency-jermichael-finley-insurance-policy-details-rules-claim)

If I were him, I'd call it a career and not tempt fate with that kind of an injury. Especially since he has a ring already.

[steelreserve]

Jermichael Finley eligible to make claim on $10 million insurance policy if he misses four games by Oct. 20 (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/nfl-pittsburgh-steelers-news/2014/7/15/5901015/nfl-free-agency-jermichael-finley-insurance-policy-details-rules-claim)

If I were him, I'd call it a career and not tempt fate with that kind of an injury. Especially since he has a ring already.


Seriously. $10M is enough to live comfortably on for the rest of your life, especially tax-free. Nobody's going to pay him close to that in the NFL for the rest of his career combined. Go retire and enjoy it while you still can. Sports are great, but playing football professionally after I broke my back is not something I would do.

[86WARD]

Well he'd be an idiot to accept a deal before then...lol.

[ALLD]

He should take the $10m and spend $5k on grammar lessons.

[Psycho Ward 86]

take the $10 million. you're going to risk being paralyzed trying to get more than that instead of getting $10 million scott free? Thats an easy decision. The only possibility of finley making more than that is if he plays ridiculously well in good health on a 1-2 year "prove it" contract and earns a big contract after that. history says that isnt happening. Finley has always been a budding superstar that never quite busted out. would have loved to have him for what sounds like would have been a bargain price

[vader29]

He should take the $10m and spend $5k on grammar lessons.
:lol:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc

[Chidi29]

As my boss pointed out today on Depot, I'm pretty sure Finley couldn't submit the claim after four games, get the 10 million, and then go play. That'd seem like a large oversight by an insurance company. For a business that loves to screw people, I have to think they realize that.

My guess is that the only way he could ever cash in on that is if he never played again. Heck, there's even speculation that the fact he's been offered a contract could void the policy...though I find that rather unlikely.

It is easy to say the guy should just go ahead and quit. But if he loves the game, and he wants to play, it's tough to blame him. I wonder how much additional risk he has now that he's injured it once. Maybe it's not that much?

I highly, highly doubt he becomes a Steeler. If they've offered him and he's turned them down, I don't see anything magically changing - their price coming up or his coming down - to alter that. But man, I'd love for it to happen. Opens up a whole new dynamic of this offense we've never had before. A "move" TE.

Side note since we're kind of on the topic. I would not be opposed to giving up a conditional 7th rounder for a guy like Rob Housler, buried as the #4 on the depth chart out in Arizona.

[SteelerFanInStl]

Seriously. $10M is enough to live comfortably on for the rest of your life, especially tax-free. Nobody's going to pay him close to that in the NFL for the rest of his career combined. Go retire and enjoy it while you still can. Sports are great, but playing football professionally after I broke my back is not something I would do.

I agree, especially after his whole family was practically begging him to quit last year. Take the money and live a good life.

[86WARD]

From what has come from Jermichael Finley's mouth in the past...he doesn't love the game...

[tube517]

I'll pass on JaMarcus Finley.

[st33lersguy]

When healthy he was a pass dropping tight end, no thank you

[steelreserve]

Side note since we're kind of on the topic. I would not be opposed to giving up a conditional 7th rounder for a guy like Rob Housler, buried as the #4 on the depth chart out in Arizona.

Makes sense, since we always seem to spend a 7th round pick anyway on a TE who's completely useless. If we could get a better one, it would save us some trouble. Who knows, maybe if this Blanchflower dude turns out to be at least halfway competent, we'll be decent at the position behind Heath.

[Chidi29]

I do like Blanchflower, a lot more than most 7th rounders, but Housler would provide more immediate help. Plus, we could still carry 4 TEs. As it stands now, we'll just carry three with Palmer/Paulson likely getting booted off the island.

But if the team only carries four true WRs (Archer as the #5) or just three RBs, it opens up a spot to keep that extra tight end.

[BigNastyDefense]

No thanks. The guy just wants to be paid. That's why he doesn't want to take a "prove it" contract. He wants either a contract that'll pay him more than $10M in the long run, or he will take his insurance payment and run.

Let the guy play somewhere else or take the insurance payment.

[Count Steeler]

I'd love to read this clause in his policy.

He is fortunate that he failed the Seattle physical, because I could see the Insurance Company making a case that if 2 or 3 NFL teams offer you a contract, you are deemed fit to play.

[Chidi29]

No thanks. The guy just wants to be paid. That's why he doesn't want to take a "prove it" contract. He wants either a contract that'll pay him more than $10M in the long run, or he will take his insurance payment and run.

Let the guy play somewhere else or take the insurance payment.

I think it's completely justifiable to want a decent amount of money to risk your life again.

If he really didn't want to play and *just* cared about the $, he would've retired by now and collected the easy, tax-free 10 million.

[Dwinsgames]

I think it's completely justifiable to want a decent amount of money to risk your life again.

If he really didn't want to play and *just* cared about the $, he would've retired by now and collected the easy, tax-free 10 million.


I agree Chidi , in a Tax free 10 million is a HEFTY contract ( he will never see as it stands now ) but he must have enough love for the game to consider playing when he has such a large amount on the table to " not play " ....

[XxKnightxX]

When healthy he was a pass dropping tight end, no thank you

And a hell of a flopper at that. Just watch the Giants Packers game of the 2012 season.