Cortland Temujin Finnegan (born February 2, 1984) is an American former professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
player who was a
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Samford Bulldogs, and was selected by the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
in the seventh round of the
2006 NFL draft
The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offe ...
. Finnegan was also a member of the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
,
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
,
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
and
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
. He was a
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
er in 2008.
Early life
Finnegan attended
Milton High School in
Milton, Florida, where he starred as a safety and
tailback, earning second-team All-State as a senior in 2002. He caught 22 passes for 403 yards, and also averaged 3.4 yards per rush and scored three rushing touchdowns. On defense, Finnegan recorded 65 tackles.
College career
During his sophomore year, Finnegan was named first-team All-OVC, third-team All-OVC as returner, third-team All-American by Sports Network and earned
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in partnership with ...
Defensive Player of the Year honors, while starting every game. Finnegan totaled team and career-high 108 tackles, three tackles for loss, career-high three interceptions, eight passes defensed and two fumble recoveries, and he also returned 21 kickoffs for 577 yards (27.5 avg.) and one touchdown.
As a junior, Finnegan was named first-team All-OVC, while starting every game at free safety. He led his team with 86 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions (tied career-high), two passes defensed and one fumble forced. Finnegan also returned 11 kickoffs for 286 yards (26.0 avg.).
During his senior year at
Samford, Finnegan was named first-team All-American by NFL Draft Report, first-team All-American by American Football Coaches Association and first-team All-OVC for third consecutive year. He started every game at free safety and led team with 98 tackles for third consecutive season and added two tackles for loss, one interception, seven passes defensed, one fumble forced and one fumble recovery. Cortland Finnegan ranked first in OVC conference with 15.1 punt return average, while returning 14 punts for 212 yards and one touchdown. Ranked second in OVC conference with 25.1 kickoff return average on 15 returns for 376 yards.
Professional career
Pre-draft
Playing at
FCS school Samford, Finnegan was very much unnoticed and overlooked in the
2006 NFL draft
The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offe ...
. He displayed good speed at Samford's Pro Day, but lacked ideal height and was deemed a shaky tackler. ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' projected that Finnegan would go undrafted.
Tennessee Titans
The
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
selected Finnegan in the seventh round (215th overall) of the
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offe ...
. He was only the third player to be
drafted from Samford and was the first player to be selected from Samford in 37 years since Gary Fleming in
1969. He was the 18th cornerback selected in 2006.
2006
On July 17, 2006, the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
signed Finnegan to a three—year, $1.22 million
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
contract that included a
signing bonus of $42,875.
Throughout training camp, he competed to be the No 2. starting cornerback against
Reynaldo Hill,
Eric King,
Andre Woolfolk, and
Michael Waddell. Head coach
Jeff Fisher named Finnegan the starting nickelback and listed him as the third cornerback on the depth chart to begin the season, behind starting cornerbacks
Adam "Pacman" Jones and Reynaldo Hill.
On September 10, 2006, Finnegan made his professional regular season debut and made an immediate impact in the
Tennessee Titans' home-opener against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, making six combined tackles (five solo), one pass deflection, and had his first career sack on
Chad Pennington for a seven–yard loss that caused a fumble that was recovered by defensive tackle
Randy Starks and led to the game-tying touchdown and two-point attempt to tie the game 16–16 on the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Titans would have a fail at their late comeback attempt and lost 23–16 to the Jets. On October 15, 2006, Finnegan earned his first career start as a nickelback and recorded four combined tackles (three solo) during a 25–22 victory at the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. In Week 11, he started in place of Reynaldo Hill as the No. 2 starting cornerback and set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (eight solo) and made two pass deflections during a 31–13 victory at the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. On December 17, 2006, Finnegan recorded three solo tackles and scored the first touchdown of his career after he recovered a fumble linebacker
David Thornton caused while sacking
David Garrard and returned it 92–yards for a touchdown as the Titans defeated the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
24–17. He finished his rookie season with 70 combined tackles (55 solo), seven pass deflections, two sacks, one fumble recovery, s forced fumble, and scored one touchdown in 16 games and two starts.
2007
On April 10, 2007, NFL commissioner
Roger Goodell
Roger Stokoe Goodell (born February 19, 1959) is an American businessman who has served as the National Football League Commissioner, commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) since 2006.
Goodell began his NFL career in 1982 as an admi ...
announced that Adam "Pac-Man" Jones would be suspended for the entire
2007 NFL season due to multiple off-the-field incidents and arrests. In order to find his replacement, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had Finnegan compete against Reynaldo Hill,
Nick Harper, and
Kelly Herndon. Head coach Jeff Fisher named Finnegan a starting cornerback to begin the season, pairing him with Nick Harper.
On September 9, 2007, Finnegan started in the
Tennessee Titans' season-opener at the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
and recorded five combined tackles (three solo) and set a season-high with three pass deflections during their 13–10 victory. In Week 2, Finnegan made seven combined tackles (five solo), a pass break-up, and made the first interception of his career on a pass attempt thrown by
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the In ...
to wide receiver
Reggie Wayne
Reginald Wayne (born November 17, 1978) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football f ...
during a 22–20 loss to the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
. On November 25, 2007, he set a season-high with ten combined tackles (eight solo) during a 6–35 loss at the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
. He started in all 16 games for the first time in his career and finished the season with a total of 95 combined tackles (79 solo), 13 pass deflections, one sack, and one interception.
The
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
finished with a 10–6 record in 2007 and earned playoff birth while placing third in the
AFC South
The American Football Conference – Southern Division or AFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 NFL season, 200 ...
. On January 6, 2008, Finnegan started in the first playoff game in his career and recorded eight combined tackles (six solo), made one pass deflection, one sack, and intercepted a pass thrown by
Phillip Rivers to wide receiver
Chris Chambers
Christopher J. Chambers (born August 12, 1978) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Ba ...
as the Titans lost the AFC Wild-Card Game 6–17 at the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
.
2008
On August 15, 2008, the
Tennessee Titans' signed Finnegan to a four—year, $16.80 million contract extension that included $8.50 million guaranteed and an initial
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $4.00 million.
Head coach Jeff Fisher retained Finnegan and Nick Harper as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 8, 2008, Finnegan started in the Tennessee Titans' home-opener against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
and recorded five solo tackles, three pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by David Garrard during their 10–17 victory. His Week 1 performance earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
The following week, he made four combined tackles (three solo), one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by
Carson Palmer to wide receiver
T.J. Houshmandzadeh during a 24–7 victory at the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
in Week 2. On September 21, 2008, Finnegan recorded six combined tackles (three solo), made two pass deflections, and had his first career pick-six after intercepting a pass by
Matt Schaub to wide receiver
Andre Johnson at the goal-line and returning it 99–yards for a touchdown at the end of the fourth quarter as the Titans defeated the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
31–12. In Week 5, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (six solo) during a 13–10 victory at the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
. In Week 12, Finnegan made five solo tackles, one pass break-up, and set a career-high with his fifth interception of the season by intercepting a pass that was thrown by
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 cons ...
to wide receiver
Laveranues Coles as the Titans lost 13–34 against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. This loss to the Jets ended the Titans 10–game undefeated streak. He started all 16 games for the second consecutive season and finished with a total of 69 combined tackles (57 solo), one sack, one fumble recovery, and scored one touchdown. He set career-highs in pass deflections (17) and interceptions (5).
On December 16, 2008, the NFL named Finnegan to the
2009 Pro Bowl, marking his first and only
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
of his career.
2009
He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season, along with Nick Harper. Head coach
Jeff Fisher named Finnegan and
Nick Harper the starting cornerbacks to start the regular season with
Cary Williams and Jason McCourty as the primary backups.

On September 10, 2009, Finnegan started in the
Tennessee Titans' season-opener at the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
and set a season-high with ten combined tackles (nine solo), made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass thrown by
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. ( ; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Ste ...
to wide receiver
Mike Wallace
Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. Known for his investigative journalism, he interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade car ...
and returned it for 80–yards before being tackled by
Heath Miller and
Max Starks
Maximillian Weisner Starks IV (born January 10, 1982) is an American former professional American football, football player who was an offensive tackle for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Flo ...
during a 10–13 overtime loss. He was inactive for three games (Weeks 4–6) due to a hamstring injury. This was the first time Finnegan had been inactive for a game in his career after 51 consecutive games played and 35 starts in-a-row. In Week 8, he recorded three combined tackles (two solo), set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass thrown by David Garrard to wide receiver
Mike Sims-Walker as the Titans defeated the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
13–30. On November 8, 2009, Finnegan made eight combined tackles (seven solo), one pass deflection, and had a pick-six after returning an interception thrown by
Alex Smith to wide receiver
Josh Morgan for a 39–yard touchdown during a 34–27 victory at the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
. In Week 14, Finnegan made four combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes by
Keith Null as the Titans routed the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
7–47. He tied his career-high of five interceptions in a season with this performance against the Rams. He finished the season with 63 combined tackles (56 solo), 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, and scored one touchdown in 13 games and 13 starts.
2010
The
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
promoted
Chuck Cecil to defensive coordinator after
Jim Schwartz was hired as the head coach of the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
. The Titans chose not to re-sign
Nick Harper following the 2009 season. Head coach
Jeff Fisher named Finnegan the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and had him start alongside
Jason McCourty and rookie
Alterraun Verner.
Throughout the 2010 NFL season, Finnegan was involved in multiple on-the-field incidents that would bring his reputation among players in prominence.
Some of these incidents coincided with a five-game losing streak and conflict in between head coach Jeff Fisher and franchise quarterback
Vince Young. Beginning in Week 2, Finnegan was involved in his first on-the-field incident when he was involved in a fight in the first quarter when wide receiver
Hines Ward
Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American American football, football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for Arizona State Sun Devils football, Arizona State. He played as a wide receiver in the National Foo ...
received backlash for allegedly being too aggresive. During the third quarter, Finnegan was penalized for a
personal foul for punching wide receiver
Mike Wallace
Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. Known for his investigative journalism, he interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade car ...
during the Titans' 19–11 loss against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
. On September 23, 2010, it was reported Finnegan received a $5,000 fine for the incident in the first quarter. In Week 3, Finnegan was involved in a physical altercation on-the-field with Giants' wide receiver Steve Smith during a 29–10 victory at the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
. On October 1, 2010, NFL commissioner
Roger Goodell
Roger Stokoe Goodell (born February 19, 1959) is an American businessman who has served as the National Football League Commissioner, commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) since 2006.
Goodell began his NFL career in 1982 as an admi ...
levied a $5,000 fine on Finnegan for throwing
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
wide receiver
Steve Smith to the ground by his helmet.
On October 8, 2010, Finnegan received a $10,000 fine for
unnecessary roughness
In gridiron football, a penalty is a sanction assessed against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow colored penalty flag onto the field toward or at the spot of a fo ...
which became his third game in-a-row resulting in a fine, for allegedly hitting Broncos' guard
Chris Kuper after Kuper had his helmet ripped off as the Titans lost 20–26 to the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. The NFL issued a warning to Finnegan that any future infractions that were similar would receive increased discipline.
On October 24, 2010, Finnegan made eight solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had a pick-six on an interception
Kevin Kolb threw on a pass attempt to wide receiver
Riley Cooper
Riley Cooper (born September 9, 1987) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played six seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, wh ...
with 14 seconds remaining as the Titans defeated the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
20–37.
In Week 10, he recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne (; born July 2, 1985) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a quarterback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines foo ...
to wide receiver
Brandon Marshall
Brandon Tyrone Marshall (born March 23, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCF Knights, and was selected by ...
during a 17–29 loss at the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
. The following week, he set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (ten solo) during a 16–19 overtime loss against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. On November 28, 2010, Finnegan was involved in his most infamous incident when he was involved in a physical altercation with Texans' wide receiver
Andre Johnson that was sparked when Johnson was tasked with blocking Finnegan on a running play in the fourth quarter and delivered excessive blows ending with one to the Finnegan's facemask although the play ended quickly. On the next play, Finnegan retaliated by delivering a blow back to Johnson's facemask, leading to Johnson grabbing Finnegan by the facemask and ripping off his helmet, and continued with Finnegan ripping off Johnson's helmet. Johnson then horse-collared Finnegan while throwing him to the ground and stood over Finnegan as he threw a punch to Finnegan's head. They were immediately separated by a referee and teammates and Finnegan began taunting Johnson by clapping to celebrate his oncoming ejection. They were both immediately ejected and the game was delayed for over five minutes as officials attempted to get everything back in order. As Finnegan was being escorted to the locker room, he continually taunted the crowd who were booing him as he walked through the tunnel at
Reliant Stadium
NRG Stadium (previously known as Reliant Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to h ...
. At the time of the incident, the Titans were losing 0–17 at the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
in the fourth quarter and were on the cusp of their fourth loss in-a-row following their 0–20 final score against Houston. On November 30, 2010, Finnegan and Andre Johnson were each levied a $25,000 fine by the NFL.
He finished the season with 63 combined tackles (56 solo), 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and one touchdown in 13 games and 13 starts.
2011
On January 27, 2011, the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
announced their decision to mutually part way with head coach Jeff Fisher after a 6–10 record in 2010. Offensive line coach
Mike Munchak
Michael Anthony Munchak (born March 5, 1960) is an American former professional football player and coach. After playing college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, Munchak played as a guard for the Houston Oilers of the National Footb ...
was promoted to head coach. On August 6, 2011, Finnegan unexpectedly left training camp as he was unhappy with his current contract and was seeking an extension. Titans' General Manager
Mike Reinfeldt stated his departure was unexpected as they had just received a counteroffer from his agent and were actively negotiating a contract extension at the time he left. Two days later, Finnegan returned and publicly apologized for leaving camp and missing one day. He admitted he left due to his contract and also cited he was dealing with a personal issue. He had one–year remaining on his three–year contract and was set to receive $3.70 million in 2011. Head coach Mike Munchak named Finnegan and
Jason McCourty the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 18, 2011, Finnegan recorded four solo tackles and set a season-high with three pass deflections during a 26–13 loss against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
. In Week 4, he set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (ten solo) and had one pass break-up during a 31–13 victory at the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
. On October 9, 2011, Finnegan made three combined tackles (two solo), one pass deflection, and had his only interception of the season on a pass
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. ( ; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Ste ...
threw to wide receiver
Emmanuel Sanders during a 17–38 loss at the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
. He started all 16 games in his past season with the Titans in
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
and finished with 75 combined tackles (58 solo), 11 pass deflections, one sack, and one interception.
St. Louis Rams
2012
On March 13, 2012, the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
signed Finnegan to a five—year, $50 million contract including $24 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $5 million.
He was reunited with head coach
Jeff Fisher who was his head coach with the Titans from
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
—2010.
Throughout training camp, Finnegan competed to be the No. 1 starting cornerback against
Bradley Fletcher
Bradley Fletcher (born June 25, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL) in the third round o ...
and rookies
Janoris Jenkins
Janoris Jenkins (born October 29, 1988), nicknamed "Jackrabbit", is an American former professional American football, football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Alabama ...
and
Trumaine Johnson. Head coach
Jeff Fisher named Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 9, 2012, Finnegan debuted with the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
in their season-opener at the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
and made ten combined tackles (nine solo), a pass deflection, and had a pick-six when he intercepted a pass thrown by
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georg ...
to wide receiver
Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
and returned it for a 31–yard touchdown
pass and returned it for a touchdown.
In Week 2, against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
, Finnegan was able to draw a penalty against Redskins receiver
Josh Morgan in the closing seconds. The 15-yard penalty turned what would've been a game tying 47-yard field goal attempt into a 62-yard attempt. The attempt was no good and St. Louis recorded its first victory of the year.
On October 26, Finnegan was fined $7,875 for grabbing
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
receiver
Jordy Nelson
Jordy Ray Nelson (born May 31, 1985) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders. He played ...
's facemask in Week 7.
On March 5, 2014, it was announced Finnegan would be released from the St. Louis Rams at the beginning of the new league year.
Miami Dolphins and initial retirement
On March 14, 2014, Finnegan signed with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
. After totaling 44 tackles but no interceptions, he was released by the team on March 2, 2015.
On March 11, 2015, Finnegan announced his retirement from the NFL.
Carolina Panthers

Finnegan came out of retirement after less than a year, signing a one-year deal with the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
on November 30, 2015. In five games Finnegan played in the regular season, he recorded 18 tackles. The Panthers defeated the Seahawks and Cardinals to reach
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) ...
, marking Finnegan's first championship appearance. In the Super Bowl, Finnegan recorded four tackles. However, the Panthers fell to the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
by a score of 24–10.
New Orleans Saints
Finnegan signed with the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
on August 12, 2016, but was released by the team on September 6.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Personal life
Finnegan is the youngest son of Robert Grant and Linda Finnegan. He has an older sister, Lela, but their older sister Felicia died when she was eight years old from congenital
Down syndrome, about a decade before Cortland was born.
Finnegan is married and has a daughter, who is named after both Finnegan's sister and a girl he met while she was battling
synovial sarcoma
A synovial sarcoma (also known as malignant synovioma) is a rare form of cancer which occurs primarily in the extremities of the arms or legs, often in proximity to joint capsules and tendon sheaths. It is a type of soft-tissue sarcoma.
The name ...
.
In 2010, Finnegan became a member of
School of the Legends (SOTL), an
online community
An online community, also called an internet community or web community, is a community whose members engage in computer-mediated communication primarily via the Internet. Members of the community usually share common interests. For many, on ...
and partner of the
NFLPA
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and president J ...
.
SOTL's headquarters are located in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
. He also became Titans' Community Man of the Year due to his fundraising efforts and the establishment of ARK 31, a non-profit charity for children with disabilities and special needs.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finnegan, Cortland
1984 births
Living people
American Conference Pro Bowl players
American football cornerbacks
Carolina Panthers players
Miami Dolphins players
Milton High School (Florida) alumni
New Orleans Saints players
Sportspeople from Milton, Florida
Players of American football from Florida
Samford Bulldogs football players
Players of American football from Fayetteville, North Carolina
St. Louis Rams players
Tennessee Titans players
21st-century African-American sportsmen
20th-century African-American sportsmen
20th-century American sportsmen