Was Cris Collinsworth A Good Football Player

So, let’s talk about Cris Collinsworth. You know him as the guy who giggles through Sunday Night Football. He’s the voice telling you that Patrick Mahomes is actually a wizard. But was he any good on the field? Or is he just a really smart guy who conned everyone into thinking he was an athlete?

I’ll cut to the chase: Yes, he was very good. Like, not just “NFL roster” good. We’re talking “made the Hall of Fame for a reason” good. But let’s be real—he wasn’t Randy Moss. He wasn't that guy who made you spill your coffee.

Collinsworth was a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played from 1981 to 1988. That’s it. Eight years. No long, drawn-out career of hanging on for a pension. He showed up, did the thing, and bounced to the broadcast booth.

And in those eight years? He was a monster. He caught 417 passes for 6,698 yards and 36 touchdowns. Those numbers don’t look gaudy now, do they? But in the early 80s, that was elite. It was a different game. Defenders could literally mug you and call it a “love tap.”

Here’s where it gets fun. He went to three Pro Bowls. He was a First-Team All-Pro in 1983. That means for one season, he was the best at his position in the entire league. Think about that. He was better than everyone else for a whole year.

His rookie season? He set a rookie record with 67 catches. That record stood for 20 years. A guy named Anquan Boldin finally broke it. So, yeah, he wasn’t a flash in the pan. He was a slow-burning, reliable inferno.

The “No One Could Cover Him” Phase

Did he have speed? No. He ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash. That’s fast for you and me. For an NFL receiver? That’s “grocery store checkout” speed. But he had hands. And routes. He was a technician before being a technician was cool.

He’d run a slant, fake left, cut right, and the cornerback would be looking at his shoelaces. He was the guy who got open because his brain was faster than his legs. I love players like that. They make the game seem like a chess match.

NBC commentator Cris Collinsworth unrecognizable in throwback from

He also had a quarterback named Ken Anderson, who was no slouch. And later, a young Boomer Esiason. Good QBs love reliable receivers. Collinsworth was the human security blanket. If you were in trouble, you threw it to #80. He’d catch it, get hit, and probably smile about it.

The Super Bowl Heartbreak

Here’s the tragic part. Collinsworth played in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII. He lost both. That’s the kind of stat that follows you around at parties. “Hey, remember when you almost won the big one? Twice?”

In Super Bowl XVI, he caught 5 passes for 107 yards. He was great. But the Bengals lost to the 49ers by a field goal. Then, seven years later, same story. Bengals vs. 49ers again. He caught 3 passes for 40 yards. The Bengals lost on a last-minute drive by Joe Montana.

So, is he a “choker”? No way. He showed up. He just lived in the same era as Montana and Bill Walsh. That’s like trying to win a hot dog eating contest against Joey Chestnut. You’re going to lose, but you’ll look good doing it.

The Wild Card: The “Bad News Bears” Moment

Let’s not forget he was also a kick returner early in his career. Yes, the tall, lanky receiver was returning kicks. He averaged 24.7 yards per return. That’s not “good”—that’s “why are you risking your knees for this?” level of good.

He played in an era where getting tackled meant getting tackled. No flags for “roughing the passer” on a receiver. He took hits that would make modern players retire on the spot. And he just got back up. Probably to complain about the officiating in his head.

Cris Collinsworth's Super Bowls vs. 49ers: Revisiting former Bengals

So, was he a good football player? Let’s sum it up. He made the Hall of Fame? Yes. Wait—no. He’s not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s in the College Football Hall of Fame for his time at Florida. He’s a Bengals Ring of Honor guy. He’s on their 50th Anniversary Team.

He’s a Hall of Fame broadcaster now. That’s a joke, but also true. He’s better known for saying “Here’s a guy…” than for his routes. But the man was a top-5 receiver for half a decade. He was the engine of that Bengals offense.

The Final Verdict (Over Coffee)

If you ask me, Cris Collinsworth was a great football player. He wasn’t “all-time great,” like Jerry Rice. But he was “Hall of Very Good” with a side of “dominant for a short window.” He was the guy you wanted on your team because he was money on third down.

Would he be a star today? Probably not. He’d be a slot receiver in a spread offense. He’d catch 90 balls a year and make $12 million. He’d be Jarvis Landry, but with fewer TikTok dances.

So next time you hear him gush over a one-handed catch, remember: he could do it too. Just slower. And with less hair. And he’d probably tell you exactly how he did it, because that’s just who he is. A great player who became an even better talker.

Now, pass the creamer. And don’t forget to mute him on third down. You know he’ll be yelling.