After his spinal fusion surgery, the Packers sent Collins to a number of other specialists in order to gather multiple opinions on whether he should be cleared to return to action. The doctor who performed Collins’ surgery, Dr. Frank Cammisa, the chief of the Spine Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and McKenzie, had their own input on Collins’ future but also presented those other opinions to Collins.
In the end, the Packers decided they weren’t comfortable with Collins resuming his football career with them. Both coach Mike McCarthy and Herman said after Collins’ injury and surgery that if Collins were their son, they would not allow him to play again.
Asked if Dr. Cammisa had told him the last time he was examined that he was at no significant risk if he played football again, Collins replied, “I haven’t talked to Dr. Cammisa in, like, a year and a half. The last thing I know, he just told me everything was healed. That was pretty much it. I haven’t talked too much to him to be able to say he’s definitely on board [with playing again], but I do know he said I was 100 percent healed.”
Being 100 percent healed and being cleared to play football in the NFL are two different things, though, and Collins said he understands the risk he’d be taking if he played again.
Jason Wilde wrote: