According to Adam Caplan of FOXSports.com, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Ellis Hobbs will be forced to retire from the NFL after sustaining his second serious neck injury in as many years.

“(Hobbs) will retire because of his second serious neck injury in the past two seasons,” Caplan wrote. “This one, a source said, will end his career because it’s higher up in his neck.”

Hobbs sustained the injury while returning a kickoff against the New York Giants. A Giants player led with the crown of his helmet and hit Hobbs in the head at full speed. Unfortunately, due to the inconsistencies of the new player safety rules, the Giants player was not flagged nor fined.

To me, that hit was more dangerous than anything Asante Samuel was fined for, and is much more easily avoidable.

With or without Hobbs, cornerback was going to be a key position of focus throughout the offseason for the Eagles. But knowing that Hobbs will definitely not be back means the team could consider a corner as high as the first round, or could mean they open their wallets to acquire a guy like Nnamdi Asomugha or Antonio Cromartie.

Caplan goes on to note that Hobbs could have a career in broadcasting should he want it as he was “excellent” as an analyst on Philadelphia’s local Comcast Sportsnet affiliate.

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