Jermichael Finley injury: Packers TE hospitalized with neck injury

Finley hasn’t played since suffering the spinal cord injury in Week 7. He spent four days in the hospital, being released on Oct. 24. There were initial fears that Finley’s NFL career could be over, but he is determined to play football again. In a first-person column written at SI’s MMQB, Finley says doctors told him it’s a matter of when, not if, he will play again. He also says that he has a $10 million insurance policy in place should the injury threaten his career.

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Finley was originally carted off the field with a neck injury, and was placed in the intensive care unit Sunday night. Finley remained there overnight, and was released from intensive care on Monday. Late Monday night and early Tuesday, reports trickled in suggesting that the injury was a bruised spinal cord.

The tight end took a helmet-to-helmet hit to do the damage. Right now, the cause for concern is still there regarding Finley’s long-term health, but these early reports are encouraging, at the very least.