Line of Duty (LOD) disability is one of the most valuable NFL disability benefits, and one of the easiest to lose. Every year, former players with real, lasting football injuries miss out because they file too late. The deadline isn't the same for everyone. It depends on how many credited seasons you earned.
What Line of Duty pays
LOD is for former players with a substantial, permanent disablement that arose out of NFL football activities: the knee, shoulder, back or neck injury you played through. It pays the greater of $4,000 a month or the sum of your Disability Credits, for up to 90 months. And you can keep working while you receive it.
How the LOD deadline works
Your deadline is measured from the date you're no longer an Active Player, and it depends on your credited seasons:
In plain terms: with four or fewer seasons, your application has to be received within 48 months. With five or more, you get one year for every credited season. The application has to be received by the NFL Player Benefits Office by then, not just mailed.
A player with six credited seasons who was released in 2022 has until 2028 to get his LOD application in. A player with three seasons released the same year has until 2026.
The other LOD requirements
Meeting the deadline is only part of it. Unless an exception applies, you also need to:
- Not be receiving NFL Pension Plan benefits
- Not already be receiving LOD benefits from the Pension Plan
- Not have another Disability Plan application pending
- Not have had an LOD application denied in the last 12 months
- Attend exams with the Plan's neutral physicians and provide any extra information they ask for
The pension rule catches a lot of players. If you're thinking about starting your NFL pension, check your LOD options first.
Why filing early pays
If you're approved, your effective date is the first day of the month two months before the NFL Player Benefits Office received your completed application. Your first payment is retroactive to that date. The sooner a complete application is in, the sooner that clock starts.
What if my deadline has passed?
LOD may be closed, but that doesn't mean every door is. Depending on your health, work status and release date, Total & Permanent or Neurocognitive benefits may still apply. A free review can tell you where you stand.