But make no mistake, he is a bad man. But Verser was a hell of a player. Even the scouting combine photo of Cris Collinsworth, which turned 40 this spring, seems to reflect the audacity of that second-round pick in 1981. 3 that no trade seemed fair. In Super Bowl XVI, Collinsworth was the game's leading receiver with five receptions for 107 yards,[22] but committed a costly second quarter fumble when he was hit by San Francisco defensive back Eric Wright. You must. Not Infante. "Uncle Willie was 40 years older than us," he says . Running Infante's choice routes where the receivers reacted to the defender and could do it because of the deep trust in Anderson's precision, Collinsworth became the Bengals' first 1,000-yard receiver in the first of four such seasons. Video game fans around the world can recognize his voice even if they dont know who he is. At Notre Dame, his son earned an MBA in Investments. One scouting report from December with an indecipherable signature concluded Verser is "the No. ProFootballHistory.com. He likes to grab a little jersey at the catch point, which may catch up to him. Sunday night, the longtime NBC NFL analyst gave fans what they wanted prior to kickoff between the Buccaneers and the Chiefs. I would have gone either Christian Barmore from Alabama or CB Jaycee Horn from South Carolina, but Parsons will be hyped like crazy as the best player available at this point. But, the first 10 yards for a receiver are not relevant. But the 49ers paid so much to get to No. 407-575-7801 You've got to create space and most importantly with all of these guys we 've talked about, catch the football. He comes off the ball low and powerfully in the run game and has plenty of athleticism in space. Jay Feely. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Cris Collinsworth is a former NFL player and is currently a famous Emmy Award winning sportscaster. Following the 2018 season, NBC SNF became the first-ever 10-time honoree for Outstanding Live Sports Series and won its 11 th honor in the category . He said he was a winner. After Al Michaels gave a brief introduction for the upcoming game, the camera would pan out slightly and allow Collinsworth to slide himself into the picture via his broadcasting chair, after which he provided insights of his own. Questions and Comments: One of my favorite traits of Bolton's is his ability as a read blitzer. Quote Tweets. Cris Collinsworth Welcomes The "Their Time," Bengals To The Super Bowl 40 Years Later. The more tape I watched, the more I was convinced that Phillips was the best defender in this class. 10, his agent went to great lengths to assure him that Cincinnati wasn't the place for him. He and his wife Holly have four children. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark four times and ended his eight-year pro career with 417 catches for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns, adding an additional 21 catches for 354 yards and a touchdown in three postseason games. Cris Collinsworth. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Born in Dayton and the son of a Cincinnati educator before the family moved south, Collinsworth was already popular in town before he became one of the most iconic Bengals. His mother left the room in tears, still recalling what the agent had said about the Bengals not being a fit. Its time to move on". He also carried the ball 18 times for 100 yards. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991. 1 on the Bengals list, Collinsworth No. He was a Pro Day superstar. His RPO footwork is special, he is a dangerous runner in space and he has a great feel for back-shoulder and high-and-away throws to protect the ball and receivers. Click to reveal He had four 1,000-yard seasons, played in . Before Cris Collinsworth became an All-American at the University of Florida, a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals, and an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, he was a star at Astronaut High School in Titusville, Florida. Chase can block and even played some tailback, but there is no arguing with the fact that he caught 24 deep balls against SEC competition at just 19 years of age and almost beat Clemson by himself in the 2019 National Championship Game. He broke through early to help the Bengals to Super Bowl XVI.. running the 40-yard dash at either 4.43 or 4.44, depending on the . 556. The competition was first rate across the board, as records were scored in several events. "It is the fact that when you got the ball to David Verser, he was hell on wheels. The Life And Career Of David Klingler (Story), The Life And Career Of Carl Pickens (Story), The Life And Career Of Archie Griffin (Story), The Life And Career Of Anthony Muoz (Story), The Life And Career Of Jack "Throwin' Samoan" Thompson (Story), What Happened To Chris Henry? This was a coinflip for me between Farley and the safer pick of Northwesterns Greg Newsome II. He had quickness, size and he was fast. Before NBC, he co-hosted as a studio analyst Inside the NFL on HBO for that network's Sunday night NFL coverage and did color commentary on the NFL Network. He spent three years on the networks No. Lance will eventually give the 49ers that final element: a QB who can run on bootlegs opposite those stretch runs. Wilson floats around the pocket like Joe Montana and flicks the ball like an Aaron Rodgers. 100 Yard Dash: 10.18: 1982 Preliminary 4 . [26], One of the most well-known trademarks of Collinsworth's work in the broadcasting booth was his performance of the "Collinsworth Slide" before each game. After college, Collinsworth was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2nd round of the 1981 NFL Draft. [11][12][13], During his career at Florida, Collinsworth caught 120 passes for 1,937 yards, and rushed for another 210. Jerry Rice supposedly ran a 4.6 40 which put him in the "slow" category. Good concentration on streak. Surtain has many of those traits: he sees route combinations coming, he studies the QB and not the receiver, he easily gets his head around and finds the ball on deep passes, he is very physical tackling in the flat and he plays with the savvy of a much older player. February 13, 2023 Space Coast Daily News Brevard Countys Best Newspaper, WATCH! He is fast enough for any stunt or loop and wins quickly in one-on-one situations. Cris spent his entire NFL career with the Bengals. February 27, 2023 endeavor air pilot contract No Comments . When he got off to a slow start his senior year, they took away the invite and when he finished strong they invited him again. Bateman is a free-flowing route runner who doesnt look overly fast or quick on tape. He ran over 5-flat, which means he likely will fall and that will be a mistake for a lot of football teams," Collinsworth said. Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary went with the next pick. The Dallas defense really struggled last year, and while Surtain is not the fastest corner in this class, he has played 662 snaps in press coverage over the last two years, by far the most of any corner in this class. Cris Collinsworth is among Brevard Countys greatest four-sport athletes as he starred in football, basketball, track and field and baseball for Astronaut High School. Checkdowns will become his best friend in the new 17-game season. The 40 yard dash is all about the start and the first 10 yards. 43. Advertisement Cris Collinsworth 40 time What was Cris Collinsworth's 40 time? "I figured there was no way they were going to take another receiver," Collinsworth says. His children were also successful scholars. That is my only doubt. Arthur Smith did great things in Tennessee with multiple tight end sets, and despite having a defense that needs help everywhere, the value with Pitts here is just too high to draft defense. The Eagles get lucky here. Collinsworth finished his collegiate career by being named the MVP of the 1980 Tangerine Bowl. He was also recognized with his 3rd and 4th Sports Emmy Awards in 2003 and 2004 as Outstanding Sports Personality/Studio Analyst. In May 2006 he added a 5th Emmy Award in the same category for his work with HBO. Atlanta is in cap hell and would love to trade for additional picks to rebuild this team with lower-priced rookies. This was a tough choice. [8] He also returned 30 kickoffs for 726 yards for an average of 24.2 yards per return. During my entire career I watched the Bengals bring to camp these small wide receivers, all of whom ran 4.4 or less, but they were not football fast. Feb 11, 2022 at 06:24 AM. Much like Kwity Paye, he doesnt take advantage of his speed getting off the ball. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Draft History. "Back then, nobody knew anything.". It was announced on April 16, 2009 that Collinsworth would replace John Madden in NBCs Sunday Night Football, leaving the NFL Network. [7], Collinsworth's combination of height and speed attracted the attention of college football programs throughout the South, and he accepted an athletic scholarship from coach Doug Dickey to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. [24] He lives in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, with his wife, Holly (Bankemper) Collinsworth, an attorney, and their four children. He finished his eight-season NFL career with 417 receptions for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns in 107 games. Farley is the higher upside pick, with 4.25-second speed that jumps out on tape. For the latest news and events about Florida Sports Hall of Fame, please join our mailing list! Abe, known as "Lincoln" in high school, was one of the top scorers in Kentucky high-school basketball history, and played for the Kentucky Wildcats "Fiddling Five" who won the 1958 national championship. Polite pulled up hurt after running a 4.84-second 40-yard dash, a slow time given his penchant for harassing opposing quarterbacks in college as an electric pass-rusher. "Makes things happen!" He is nearly impossible to cover inside on option routes. Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2001). And he looked as though he was toying with defenses at times this past year. "I don't know where that one came from," Brown says of the photo story. He can play any position on the defensive line and create problems. Pete Brown, the Bengals director of player personnel circled both the first and second round for Collinsworth. Gender: Relentless effort will always work for defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. I considered USC's Alijah Vera-Tucker here due to his guard-tackle versatility, but I ultimately went with the more powerful player in Leatherwood to block for Henry. I will always think that Kyle Shanahan traded up to get Mac Jones, but the fan base revolted. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. As of now, his inside move is his best. His father, Abe Collinsworth, who played for a national championship basketball team under Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky, was his high school principal. And while he is one of the least impressive catchers of the ball in this class, it appeared his confidence grew as the season went along. Cris Collinsworth led the acquisition of Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2015. This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 07:02. [8] Though he was recruited as a run-first quarterback for the Gators' option offense, Collinsworth threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Gaffney against the Rice Owls in his first collegiate attempt, a toss which remains tied for the longest touchdown pass in NCAA history. The pivotal moment comes when you are already running, make that move on the DB, and THEN burst into the extra gear. Nobody is better with mobile quarterbacks than Urban Meyer, as Tim Tebow and Alex Smith will attest. He was great as a sophomore and led the country in yards per route run. "It's always a wild ride," Collinsworth says of a draft he now covers as one of the NFL's best and visible network analysts, another confirmation of those smart kid scouting reports. Interior pressure is hard to generate, but Barmore does so consistently. "It was a fortuitous pick. At one point, there was speculation of NBC letting him go for poor preseason performance which, they said, was a little for a lot of money he earned, "We can replace him with someone cheaper and younger and get just as much production, if not more. In 1990, he began what has become a successful broadcasting career as a part of the NBC networks NFL broadcasts. It hadn't been announced on TV.". "When I got the call, I didn't really trust it when I got it. The team will take him out of that four-point stance and work on his explosion off the ball. He has a great feel for loops and stunts and is the best player available at a position of desperate need for Pittsburgh. Sewell is a potential Hall of Fame talent, and the Bengals know who their best player in franchise history is Anthony Muoz. No one projected that in their reports. [5], His family, including Cris and his younger brother Greg, moved from Ohio to Melbourne, Florida, in 1963, when Cris was four years old. Likes. (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Corey Dillon (Complete Story), What Happened To Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson? Collinsworth has been both a studio host and color commentator for NBC, Fox and the NFL Network. He spent 8 years in the NFL, all of them with the Cincinnati Bengals. Collinsworth was the host of Inside the Vault on WGN America. "(He) had a bad Pro Day. He picks apart zone defenses and has a quick release when he pulls the trigger. When the call didn't come at No. And while he has the weakest arm of these top five quarterbacks, it is plenty strong enough to win a Super Bowl. Offensive linemen are just not sure which part of Rousseau's body to aim for. 170.39.79.101 His son worked as a reporter for NBC. He finally figured out it was a Florida teammate and not the Giants. A series of head injuries forced him to retire from football early in his college career, but after his return, nobody was better rushing the quarterback in the second half of the 2020 season. ABOVE VIDEO:Cris Collinsworth is among Brevard Countys greatest four-sport athletes as he starred in football, basketball, track and field and baseball for Astronaut High School. Scout Frank Ubile compared Collinsworth favorably to a current Bengal ("A Pat McInally with speed") and some of the draft's top receivers, such as Mississippi State's Mardye McDole and UNLV's Sam Greene:"More speed than Verser, much more than McDole more consistentthan Verser and Greene. [31] Collinsworth also has a steak named after him by the same restaurant.[32]. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981-1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Wilson misses throws rolling right more than he should, but his skills are special and he could be great. One of the biggest decisions that Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni faced in Super Bowl LVII came on a fourth-and-six from the Chiefs' 15-yard-line with the Eagles up 24-21 late in the third quarter. He then started working for HBO as a reporter in 1989. Collinsworth played four years of basketball for his dad and also played some baseball for the War Eagles. "But now that neither one of them are here, hey it's a good story.". He even lent his broadcasting talent to video games. [21] He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving four times (in 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1986) and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1981, 1982 and 1983. [24] He joined the NBC pregame show in 1996.[24]. Despite weighing only 177 pounds, he shows power when running over potential tacklers. He shoots gaps quickly and seems to always be a step ahead on his reads. I have never seen a player quite like Rousseau, who is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds with an 83-inch wingspan. Paye's get-off is unimpressive for his athleticism. He was all over the place. . Enjoy Space Coast Daily, Brevard Countys Best and Most Read Magazine, HOT OFF THE PRESS! During the Muoz era of the '80s, Cincinnati had two MVP QBs and went to the Super Bowl twice. He proved last year that he can play left tackle after previously featuring at guard. 39 the Vikings picked McDole, one of the receivers whom had been unfavorably compared to Collinsworth and whose career consisted of three catches. They raved about both. Jaelen Phillips will be a rockstar if he stays healthy. My personal choice would have been North Carolinas Dyami Brown, but Marshall likely gets the nod due to his size. Playing quarterback for the War Eagles outstanding coach Jay Donnelly, he was also named to the all-state team in basketball during his senior year, and won the 100-yard dash in the Class 3A State Track and Field Championships as a junior. He had a famous 99 yard touchdown pass when he was playing for his college squad, the Florida Gators. Bateman caught 14 deep passes in 2019 and broke 36 tackles on 147 career catches. Alabama running back Najee Harris could be the choice here if the Steelers opt to go for one of the more powerful offensive linemen in Round 2. United States. Collinsworth was highly successful in the classroom as well as he was named an Academic All-American. He looks like a skinny NBA power forward, and he is often playing nose tackle. When the hands hit 12, Verser caught 23 balls in his career and by the time Collinsworth played in his second Super Bowl, he was out of the league. 1 WR in the draft. He just doesn't remember it that way. Better runner than our running backs.". When drafting at the end of the first round, you can pick physical freaks and hope to coach them in ways they may have missed during the coronavirus-impacted season. 8 years later he joined FOX's team. [24] He worked on Fox's Super Bowl XXXIX telecast three years later. I agree 100%. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. Cris Collinsworth hall of fame Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981-1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. He received a Sports Emmy Award in April 1998 as Outstanding Studio Analyst and his second in 1999. Bolton possesses untapped potential as a man coverage linebacker and likely will not come off the field. 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2023 draft class. Cris Collinsworth's 40 time was 4.38 seconds. Moehrigs passion will fit perfectly in Tampa, and he likely wont be left in as many slot man coverages with the Bucs. If Infante was livid that he didn't get Collinsworth first, he didn't let the media know it. This draft had become more than a passing fancy with Collinsworth still there at No. 37, the Bengals took the kid with the watch. But football certainly wasnt the only sport in which Collinsworth excelled as he also played baseball, was a four-year letterman in basketball, and also won a state championship in track. His daughter Katie was a Manager of Marketing and Education Projects at GolfNow. Moehrig led all college safeties in pass breakups over the past two years. With just hours remaining until the start of the 2021 NFL Draft, I take my best pass at Round 1. When he sees something, he fires fast and wants to blow plays up. Collinsworth was taken in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft with the 37th overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals and was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. His flaws will be as an inline blocker and any route that requires him to stop quickly and come back to the ball, but when he is moving forward, Pitts is almost unstoppable. Pro Bowl & Super Bowl "Cris Collinsworth gushed over Mahomes throwing a ball into the dirt, and yet criticized Lawrence for overthrowing a. Worse, he seemed to compound the issue with a set of poorly timed remarks to reporters about what he went through in the NFL interview process at the Combine, airing some comments that probably would have been best kept to himself. ", They must have had it like the rest of the league. Just like you, we are excited to get back to football. In 107 regular-season games in the NFL, 90 of them starts, Collinsworth had 417 receptions for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns. [24], Collinsworth is on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. All hell was breaking loose. Now it wasn't my rookie year. Retweets. [24] In addition to co-hosting Inside the NFL on HBO, he returned to NBC as a studio analyst for that network's Sunday night NFL coverage and did color commentary on the NFL Network. Good running ability after catch. Mar 21, 2022. So was Collinsworth's future Bengals Super Bowl teammate James Brooks. (Complete Story). Apply & Register TODAY for Spring 2023 Classes at Eastern Florida State College, HOT OFF THE PRESS! In 1995, he appeared on HBO broadcasting at Wimbledon with Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and Barry MacKay. Collinsworth played in his second Super Bowl during his final season in 1988. He is a big playmaker A quality athlete. Collinsworth is currently second on the Bengals' all-time list for receivers with 417 catches for 6,698 yards. "This man gets open consistently Will catch underneath, runs routes hard every down.". Waddle likely would have been a top-10 pick but for his injury. After his retirement in 1988, Collinsworth made the transition to the broadcast booth.