Cris Collinsworth
The former Pro Bowl receiver reinvented himself as a perceptive, award-winning broadcaster with a signature analytical style and a keen business mind.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American sports broadcaster·Birthday: January 27·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cris Collinsworth's path from the gridiron to the broadcast booth is a masterclass in second acts. A standout wide receiver at the University of Florida, he was a key target for the Cincinnati Bengals, helping them reach Super Bowl XVI with his lanky frame and reliable hands. After injuries cut his playing career short, he immediately found his true calling behind the microphone. His broadcasting style—marked by a conversational tone, sharp preparation, and a willingness to critique—quickly set him apart. As the lead analyst for NBC's Sunday Night Football, his voice became synonymous with the biggest games of the week. Beyond the booth, he demonstrated business acumen by acquiring the analytics company Pro Football Focus, merging his understanding of the game with modern data.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cris was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Cris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won 17 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Personality/Analyst and related categories.
- Has served as the lead analyst for NBC's Sunday Night Football, one of television's highest-rated programs, since 2009.
- Became the majority owner of the football analytics company Pro Football Focus in 2014.
- Earned Pro Bowl honors three times during his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals (1981-1983).
Did You Know?
He graduated from the University of Florida College of Law while still playing in the NFL.
He caught the first touchdown pass in Super Bowl XVI.
He was a contestant on the game show 'The Dating Game' in college.
His son, Jac Collinsworth, is also a sportscaster for NBC.
“I've never seen anything like that in my life.”
