Former Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins doubled down on his desire to return to the NFL since missing the past two seasons after suffering a severe neck injury.
"My whole purpose of doing what I did on Twitter, I wanted to remind everybody I'm still out there and I'm willing to play, given the opportunity," Collins told ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde on Wednesday. "That was the whole purpose of my tweets on Monday. Just to say, 'I'm ready, I'm 100 percent healed.'"
According to Collins, Green Bay physician Dr. Pat McKenzie was the "only doctor" not willing to medically clear him after the injury. But Collins' agent, Alan Herman, told Wilde that Collins' medical status, as far as NFL teams were concerned, had not changed.
That hasn't dissuaded Collins' desire to return, though.
"I'm open. Whoever wants to give me the chance -- if it's Green Bay, if it's any of the other 31 teams that's willing to take me that chance -- I just have to be comfortable with it. It has to be in the right place," Collins said.
It's unlikely that the Packers will be one of those teams.
And while Collins claims he was cleared to go elsewhere, the fact that a safety of his caliber got no other inquires for the past two seasons speaks louder.
"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."
Even though safety play on the whole was down last year, Collins likely won't receive interest from organizations due to worries about him re-injuring his neck. It is a tough predicament for teams -- thankfully -- that are more conscious of the repercussions a violent game can have on players.
Collins, however, sounds ready to take on any risk in order to get a shot at returning to an NFL locker room.
"It is a risk, but it's no higher than any other guy that's playing the game right now," Collins said. "We all understand the game, we all know it's a risk when you step out there on the field. We know the consequences behind our actions out there. It's just a game that I love so much. It's a part of me, and it hasn't left yet. I feel like I've got three to five years left in me. I just feel like I can help a team reach their goals."
*The "Around The League Podcast" recapped Super Bowl XLVIII live from MetLife Stadium right after the game. *
