Chris Collins

Chris Collins's Biography

Cris Collinsworth, full name Anthony Cris Collinsworth, was born on January 27, 1959, in Dayton, Ohio. From an early age, Cris was raised in a family where sports played a crucial role. His father, Abe Collinsworth, was a high-scorer of Kentucky high-school basketball, a former member of the “Fiddling Five” for the renowned Kentucky Wildcats, and the 1958 national championship winner. Both his parents were educators; Donetta Collinsworth, his mother, was a teacher, and Abe shifted his career from a high-school coach to a principal, later becoming the superintendent of schools for Brevard County.

When Cris was just four years old, the Collinsworth family relocated from Ohio to Melbourne, Florida, in 1963. They shifted again to nearby Titusville in 1972, where Cris and his younger brother, Greg, attended Astronaut High School.

In high school, young Collinsworth explored a multitude of sports and showed tremendous success for the Astronaut War Eagles. In 1976, during his senior year, Anthony won the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 3A 100-yard-dash state championship and was recognized as a high-school All-American quarterback.

Upon recognizing his unique blend of height and speed, various college football programs across the South were drawn to Cris. Accepting a scholarship from coach Doug Dickey, Collinsworth decided to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He started his college career as a run-first quarterback for the Gators’ option offense, but soon shot to fame when he threw a record-setting touchdown pass in his first collegiate attempt.

In 1978, when Florida’s offense struggled against top defenses, coach Dickey transitioned the team from a run-oriented offense to a more balanced pro set attack. Consequently, Cris was moved to wide receiver, where he began to flourish under the guidance of former Gator quarter, Steve Spurrier. Collinsworth earned a reputation for himself as a formidable player, receiving numerous accolades throughout his college career.

Crooning his football career, Cris achieved a significant milestone when he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round (37th pick overall) of the 1981 NFL draft. Throughout his eight-year NFL career, Collinsworth featured as the leading receiver, setting franchise records, and earning a reputation as a threatening player against smaller cornerbacks due to his unique blend of height and speed.

Despite suffering a major setback during Super Bowl XVI due to a second quarter fumble, Collinsworth never let his spirit falter. His eight-season NFL career was marked with exemplary performances, accumulating a total of 417 receptions for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns in 107 games.

After retiring as an NFL player, Collinsworth transitioned into sports broadcasting and started his career as a radio talk show host on Cincinnati station WLW. His broadcasting success led to numerous opportunities, providing commentary for HBO’s Inside the NFL, NBC’s NFL broadcasts, several college football programs, and the NFL on Fox team.

Adding to his fast-growing portfolio of achievements in sports broadcasting, Collinsworth branched out to other prominent positions. He served as a reporter for HBO’s Inside the NFL, co-hosted Inside the NFL on HBO, became a studio analyst for NBC’s Sunday night NFL coverage, the color commentator on the NFL Network, and has been featured in Madden NFL games.

Simultaneously, Cris accomplished major strides in the academic sphere as well. Remarkably, in 1991, he received a juris doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Moreover, he serves on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Cris is a devoted family man. He resides with his wife, Holly Bankemper Collinsworth, an attorney, and their four children in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. True to their father’s footsteps, both of Cris’s sons delved into football; Austin Collinworth, a former football player and team captain at the University of Notre Dame, and Jac, a featured reporter for ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, who then joined NBC.

Today, Cris Collinsworth stands as a prominent figure in American sports, renowned for his contribution to football both as a player and broadcaster. Given his career, significant influence on the sport, and passion for community, Cris Collinsworth continues to remain a revered figure in the history of American football.