It has been reported — by a number of outlets — that former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley was able to cash in on a tax-free insurance policy when a neck injury cut his NFL career short. The amount was $10 million.
For some reason, a lot of people seem to doubt that actually happened. Perhaps it’s because he briefly thought about returning to the NFL before officially hanging it up.
Well, here it is from Finley’s lips. When he got the insurance policy, why he got it and why more NFL players don’t get one.
“I actually got [the policy] when I started my big deal [in 2012]. We were at a casual dinner, and all of a sudden, [may agent] said, “You need to get an insurance policy because the way your game is, you play it reckless.” That was my style of play; it wasn’t running out of bounds. My thing was finding contact. He said, “We need to get you a disability policy.” And then so it happened when I was on the last year of my deal, I went to the max disability policy you can get. But you have to spend X amount of dollars to get it. That’s why players don’t get it, because you’ve got fork over [a lot of money] up front. It’s a gamble. It’s like a black hole; you’ve got to throw it in there and see what comes out.”
So there you have it.
We can completely understand why most players don’t insure themselves like this. They feel like it’s an expense they don’t need. Gotta get more boats and hoes.
However, Finley was lucky he took that risk.
I am very curious to know what Finley paid for the policy, but it sounds like he made a rather wise financial decision.
Just curious…who are these number of other outlets that say he got paid from his insurance policy? (where it didn’t come from Finley himself). I mean, real sources with real facts. Trust me, if you can’t name any of them, i’ll fully understand.
Not that i give a huge shit, but he filed to collect on it back in Oct. 2014. With Finleys loud flapping lips, don’t you think he would have crowed about this long before now? His agent would have been also as it was his idea supposedly.
BTW…in the article and quote you referenced, i didn’t see where he directly said he collected on it. He discussed getting the policy.
Funny thing in your “source” article, is how he insinuates that teams wouldn’t sign him because of his health, but at the time, that wasn’t the issue was it? All Finley could say (at the time) was that he had multiple contract offers, but they weren’t high enough. But hey…it’s Jerry world.
I believe Finleys word, like i believe Mordecai is a success in life. He may very well have gotten something, after fighting with the Ins. Co over disability language in the policy. But my guess is, if that is the case, it was nowhere near 10 million. Which would perfectly explain why we haven’t heard much in the last 2 years or so and also why he shy’s away from discussing details.
Like i commented on back at the time…..It wasn’t finley’s (option) whether to play, or cash out the policy.
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/jermichael-finley-s–10m-fallback-plan-might-not-be-firm-224403667-nfl.html
But let the sheep believe what they want to believe.
Enough about this man-child. Lets talk about the Packers heading straight to the Super Bowl. Who’s a believer?
What good is bragging about having $10 million if he’s got to support a menagerie of kids he bred.
This guy is so full of shit. “That was my style of play; it wasn’t running out of bounds. My thing was finding contact.”
Reality is, dude would fall down if someone waved a hand at his ankles.
Yeah, I don’t recall him being some sort of stud either. I seem to recall a lot of unrealized potential, the proverbial “Wait until next year” that always fell a bit short. And then he got hurt. Dude’s entire career was based off the latter half of the 2009 season and the Arizona playoff loss.
Thank you! Exactly correct. Finley was always just awkward looking on the field. Not a natural-looking football player at all Whether he was catching, running with it, or getting tripped up by a thumb nail on a shoulder pad, dude just never looked like a football player to me.
On a recent interview with Sirius NFL radio Finley said something to the effect of an annual premium of a couple hundred thousand dollars. If the premium is paid with after tax dollars then the proceeds are tax free.