Veteran quarterback Todd Collins didn't play well in spot duty for injured starter Jay Cutler during Sunday's NFC Championship Game. But his 0-for-4 passing performance wasn't the reason Collins came out of the game for the Chicago Bears.
A source said Monday that Collins suffered a shoulder injury on his final snap of the afternoon, taking a hit from Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji on a third-and-2 pass with 3:10 left in the third quarter. Third-stringer Caleb Hanie relieved Collins and nearly rallied the Bears, who lost 21-14 and faced numerous questions about Cutler's knee injury.
Collins is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury, and there's a chance he'll need surgery. That could mean the end of Collins' 16-year career, which started with the Buffalo Bills and also took him to the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins.
Collins has thrown for 4,547 yards and 22 touchdowns with 24 interceptions in his career. He has started in just four games since 1997, when he was the Bills' No. 1 quarterback.
Collins, 39, signed a one-year deal with the Bears in August, but he played in just two regular-season games, completing 10 of 27 passes for 68 yards and no touchdowns with five interceptions. If Collins decides to keep playing, the Oakland Raiders could be an option since they just hired former Redskins offensive coordinator Al Saunders.
