“There Have Been Some Horror Stories”: Travis and Jason Kelce Discuss Limits of NFL’s Non Football Injury System

The ‘New Heights’ podcast recently aired its latest episode packed with intriguing league-related discussions. One of the most relevant sibling duos in the NFL took up some pertinent questions ranging from Hollywood Brown’s move to KC to Aaron Donald‘s retirement saga, and even a heartwarming O-Line reunion featuring Lane Johnson & Jordan Mailata. However, amidst the captivating conversation, the Kelce brothers tackled a significant doubt — the contractual obligations of NFL players in the offseason.

Travis treaded the topic outrightly, saying, “Basically you can’t get injured, if you get injured, you’re f**ked.” However, Jason Kelce followed up with a nuanced approach, throwing light on the restrictive nature of the NFL’s NFI (Non-Football Injuries) system. In his address, the former Eagles center explained,

“If you get hurt at any point in the offseason, technically that ends up being considered what they call an NFI- non-football injury,” further substantiating, “You’re at risk of avoiding any non-guaranteed money in your contract.”

Though there was more to the explanation, the heart of the matter lies in the system’s failure to differentiate between reckless behavior and genuine efforts to improve. Jason passionately advocated against the unfairness of the NFI label, particularly its disproportionate impact on players trying to improve themselves.

As the two treaded critically on the topic, Travis Kelce echoed Jason’s sentiment, acknowledging the shortcomings of the system on dedicated athletes. “There have been some horror stories,” Travis remarked, hinting at the instances where the NFI regulations stung NFL players unexpectedly, like the story of Jason Pierre Paul.

Jason Pierre-Paul Lost His Fingers in a Non-Football Injury Related Accident

The NFL‘s Non-Football Injury (NFI) list is a bit like a double-edged sword — it’s supposed to be there to help players who get injured outside of the gridiron, but sometimes a hindrance than a help. The case of Jason Pierre-Paul is one such example. Fair warning — the image that we are about to show you is graphic.

On Jul. 4, 2015, as Jason Paul chilled at a cookout in his hometown of Deerfield Beach, he decided to light up some fireworks from a U-Haul van, as reported by Sports Illustrated. One thing led to another, and a blinding flash of light and smoke is all that persisted. Turns out, those fireworks weren’t playing around. One moment, Jason was trying to light the crackers up, and the next, his hand was a mess—with ligaments torn, blood spilled like a straight-up nightmare.

Happy 4th of July from Jason Pierre Paul's missing fingers pic.twitter.com/Pq1uPRdS6A

— Section 108 (@fromthe108) July 4, 2018

Sure, it’s there to help guys like Jason, but in the end, the Non Football Injury system adds to the mental strain caused by the injury. Losing a part of his hand, Jason transitioned to worrying about his career, his future, and everything that he lost.

As Jason and Travis Kelce highlighted, this one’s a tough pill to swallow, and Jason’s just one of many players who had to deal with its limitations. However, Jason Paul-Pierre became a fine example, navigating several teams and leaving a mark despite his injuries, with his last abode at the Miami Dolphins practice squad in 2023.