How to Maximize Your NFL Retirement Benefits with Line-of-Duty Claims

Line of Duty pays at least $4,000 a month for a lasting football injury, and you can keep working. Here’s how it fits with the rest of your NFL benefits.

Maximize NFL retirement benefits with Line of Duty claims

As a former NFL player, you have earned the right to enjoy a secure retirement. The NFL benefits package includes an array of generous pension and healthcare plans, as well as disability benefits like Line of Duty. This blog post will provide an overview of NFL retirement benefits, explain what a Line of Duty claim is, and provide tips on how to maximize your NFL benefits with Line of Duty claims.

Introduction to NFL Retirement Benefits

Retirement is a major milestone for any NFL player, and the NFL benefits package can help ensure that you are able to enjoy your retirement to the fullest. It includes the pension, the Player Annuity Program, the NFL Player 401K Plan, health benefits like the Health Reimbursement Account, and the NFL Player Disability & Neurocognitive Benefit Plan.

The NFL pension is funded by the clubs and pays a monthly benefit based on your credited seasons. Disability benefits are separate. They include Line of Duty, Total & Permanent and Neurocognitive benefits, each with its own rules.

What is a Line of Duty Claim?

A Line of Duty (LOD) claim is an application for monthly disability benefits from the NFL Player Disability & Neurocognitive Benefit Plan. It is for former players with a substantial, permanent disablement that arose out of NFL football activities, like a knee, shoulder, back or neck injury you played through.

Monthly benefitAt least $4,000

How long it paysUp to 90 months

Can you keep working?Yes

LOD pays the greater of $4,000 a month or the sum of your Disability Credits for your credited seasons. Because it’s based on your football injury, not on whether you can work, you can hold a job while receiving it.

Qualifying for Line of Duty Benefits

To qualify, your disablement must arise out of League football activities and be substantial and permanent, as determined through exams with the Plan’s neutral physicians. Unless an exception applies, you also must:

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

The Line of Duty deadline

Your application must be received by the NFL Player Benefits Office before your deadline, measured from the date you’re no longer an Active Player:

4 or fewer credited seasons48 months

5 or more credited seasons1 year per credited season

For example, a player with six credited seasons has six years. Read our full guide to the LOD deadline →

The Process for Filing a Line of Duty Claim

Filing a Line of Duty claim is a straightforward process, but it is important to make sure that your application is complete. A strong application includes:

A completed Disability Plan application
Medical records documenting your football injuries, including team and surgical records
Documentation of your NFL career and credited seasons
Attendance at exams with the Plan’s neutral physicians

Once your application is received, the Plan schedules exams and the Disability Board makes a decision. If approved, your effective date is the first day of the month two months before the NFL Player Benefits Office received your completed application, and your first payment is retroactive to that date.

Common Misconceptions about Line of Duty Claims

MythLine of Duty is only for career-ending injuries.

FactLOD is for a substantial, permanent disablement from football. Many approved players kept playing for years, and you can keep working while you receive it.

MythYou can file anytime.

FactLOD has a strict deadline tied to your release date and credited seasons. Miss it and the benefit is closed.

MythStarting your pension doesn’t affect LOD.

FactPlayers receiving Pension Plan benefits generally aren’t eligible for LOD. Check your LOD options before starting your pension.

MythA denial is final.

FactDenied claims can be appealed. Many are approved on appeal once missing evidence is added.

Maximizing Your NFL Retirement Benefits with Line-of-Duty Claims

While Line of Duty benefits can provide a valuable source of financial security, it is important to remember that they supplement, not replace, your other NFL benefits. To get the most out of everything you earned:

File for LOD before your deadline, and before you start your pension
Look at Total & Permanent and Neurocognitive benefits too, since your health can change over time
Take advantage of the pension, annuity, 401(k) and health plans
Make sure you are taking full advantage of any tax breaks that are available

Financial Planning Tips for NFL Players

Retirement planning is an important part of a player’s career, and there are a few key tips that can help to ensure that you are able to enjoy a secure retirement.

First, it is important to start saving as much as you can for retirement while you are still playing in the NFL. This is especially true if you plan on retiring early, as you will need to have enough money saved to cover your living expenses during retirement.

Second, it is important to take advantage of the pension plans and healthcare plans offered by the NFL. These plans can provide a valuable source of income during retirement and can help to ensure that you are able to enjoy a secure retirement.

Finally, it is important to make sure that you are taking full advantage of any tax breaks that are available. Taking advantage of tax breaks can help to maximize your retirement savings and ensure that you are able to enjoy a secure retirement.

Resources for NFL Players

There are a number of resources available to help NFL players plan for retirement. The NFL Players Association provides benefits information, access to financial advisors and retirement planning tools, and the NFL Player Benefits Office administers the pension and disability plans.

Conclusion

Retirement is an important milestone for any NFL player, and the NFL benefits package can help ensure that you are able to enjoy your retirement to the fullest. Line of Duty is one of the most valuable, and most time-sensitive, of those benefits. Know your deadline, file before you start your pension, and make sure your application is complete.