Cris Collinsworth is an American former professional football player, sports broadcaster and entrepreneur who has an estimated Cris Collinsworth net worth of $25 million. He built his wealth through an eight-year NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by a long and successful career in sports broadcasting.
Collinsworth has become one of the most recognizable analysts in American football. After retiring from the NFL, he transitioned into broadcasting and eventually became part of the lead commentary team for major NFL games.
He has worked with NBC, Fox, HBO and the NFL Network and has also covered major sporting events, including the Super Bowl and Olympic Games. Beyond broadcasting, Collinsworth is the owner of Pro Football Focus (PFF), a sports analytics company that provides advanced statistics and analysis for professional and college football.
Cris Collinsworth net worth: $25 million
Reported annual salary: $12.5 million
Date of birth: January 27, 1959
Place of birth: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Profession: Former NFL player, sports broadcaster and entrepreneur
Cris Collinsworth Salary
Cris Collinsworth’s broadcasting salary has increased considerably throughout his career.
For many years, he reportedly earned approximately $4 million annually as a television analyst.
In December 2021, reports emerged that Collinsworth had signed a new contract with NBC that increased his annual salary to approximately $12.5 million.
The reported deal reflected his status as one of the leading NFL analysts in television broadcasting.
Collinsworth’s compensation has been driven by his position on NBC’s premier NFL broadcast team and his long experience as both a former professional player and analyst.
Early Life
Anthony Cris Collinsworth was born on January 27, 1959, in Dayton, Ohio.
Both of his parents were teachers. His father later became superintendent of schools in Brevard County, Florida.
In 1963, the family moved from Ohio to Melbourne, Florida, where Collinsworth grew up.
He attended Astronaut High School, where his father served as principal.
Collinsworth excelled in several sports. He won a state championship in the 100-yard dash and was named a high school All-American quarterback.
His football ability eventually earned him a scholarship to the University of Florida.
College Football Career
Collinsworth initially played quarterback for the Florida Gators before eventually moving to wide receiver.
The change proved to be highly successful.
One of his most memorable college plays came against the Rice Owls when he threw a 99-yard touchdown pass. The play remains tied for the longest touchdown pass in NCAA history.
After moving to wide receiver, Collinsworth established himself as one of Florida’s most productive offensive players.
He finished his college career with 120 receptions for 1,937 yards and 14 touchdowns.
His performances helped attract the attention of NFL scouts.
Cris Collinsworth’s NFL Career
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Collinsworth in the second round of the 1981 NFL Draft.
He spent his entire eight-year professional football career with the Bengals.
Collinsworth immediately became an important part of Cincinnati’s offense. During his rookie season, he became the team’s leading receiver and established a franchise record for receptions by a rookie.
His combination of size, speed and reliable hands made him one of the team’s most dangerous offensive players.
Collinsworth was selected to the Pro Bowl three times during his NFL career.
In 1985, he briefly appeared set to join the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. However, he failed his physical examination, causing the contract to be voided.
He subsequently returned to Cincinnati and completed his career with the Bengals.
Collinsworth finished his NFL career with 417 receptions, nearly 6,700 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns.
Broadcasting Career
Collinsworth entered broadcasting shortly after retiring from professional football.
He initially worked as a radio sports talk host before moving into television.
One of his early television opportunities came with HBO’s Inside the NFL.
During the 1990s, he joined NBC, where he worked as an NFL and college football analyst. He also covered other sports, including tennis.
His reputation continued to grow, and Collinsworth eventually joined NFL on Fox in the late 1990s.
He initially worked as a color commentator before becoming part of the network’s lead NFL broadcasting team.
In 2004, he was part of Fox’s coverage of the Super Bowl.
Cris Collinsworth at NBC
Collinsworth’s broadcasting career has included multiple major networks, but NBC has become one of the most important chapters of his career.
He has worked alongside some of the biggest names in sports broadcasting and became a prominent analyst for NBC’s NFL coverage.
Collinsworth’s combination of professional playing experience and detailed football analysis has made him a highly sought-after commentator.
He has also covered major international sporting events.
Among his notable assignments were the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2010 Winter Olympics.
He later returned to Super Bowl coverage, including Fox’s coverage of the 2017 Super Bowl.
Madden Video Game Career
Collinsworth has also become familiar to football fans through the Madden NFL video game franchise.
During the 2000s, he provided commentary for the popular series, bringing his television broadcasting experience into the video game world.
His work on Madden introduced his voice and analysis to an audience beyond traditional sports television.
Pro Football Focus
One of Collinsworth’s most significant business ventures is Pro Football Focus, commonly known as PFF.
PFF provides advanced football statistics, player evaluations and analytical data covering the NFL and college football.
Collinsworth owns the company and has remained involved in its development.
In September 2021, Silver Lake Partners invested $50 million for a minority stake in PFF.
The investment demonstrated the growing value of advanced sports analytics and helped expand PFF’s position in the sports-data industry.
The company’s overall valuation and Collinsworth’s precise ownership stake have not been publicly disclosed.
Personal Life
Cris Collinsworth is married to Holly Collinsworth.
The couple lives in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and has four children.
One of their sons went on to pursue football and became captain of the Notre Dame football team.
Collinsworth has largely maintained his family life away from the spotlight while continuing his work in broadcasting and sports analytics.
Real Estate
Collinsworth and his wife have owned property in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
In 2000, the couple reportedly purchased an undeveloped five-acre property for approximately $100,000.
They subsequently developed the property into a large private compound featuring a roughly 7,000-square-foot main residence, a barn, swimming pool and pool house.
Comparable large homes in the area have reportedly sold for around $2 million, making the property a potentially significant part of the Collinsworth family’s real estate holdings.
Author: Andrew Walyaula
Andrew Walyaula is a seasoned multimedia journalist. Email: [email protected]
