- Anthony Cris Collinsworth is an American sports broadcaster and former professional football player. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981-1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Florida, where he was recognized as an All-American.
Famous broadcaster Cris Collinsworth had a younger brother named Greg, who passed away in 2004 due to Cancer.
Cris Collinsworth is one of the most popular personalities in football. However, not many know of his late younger brother, Greg Collinsworth.
The two brothers were like best friends, and Cris struggled to cope after Greg’s untimely death.
Anthony Cris Collinsworth is a 64-year-old former NFL player who currently is an established sports broadcaster.
Cris hails from Dayton, Ohio, and comes from a family of educators. However, his father did have a background in sports, as he played and coached basketball.
Furthermore, the Collinsworth family moved to Florida with their two sons, Cris and Greg. The two brothers attended Astronaut High School, where their father was the principal.
Moreover, Cris started his sporting journey in high school through multiple sports.
Cris played in the NCAA, representing the University of Florida. His contributions got him inducted into both Students and Athletic Hall of Fame.
The “Gator Great” got drafted as the No. 37 pick in the 1981 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons in the NFL, spending his whole career with the Bengals.
Meet Greg Collinsworth: Brother of Cris Collinsworth
Cris Collinsworth was not the only talented sportsman in the Collinsworth household.
While Cris made a name for himself in football, his brother Greg flourished in multiple sports.
Greg Collinsworth was the youngest son of Abraham Lincoln Collinsworth and Donetta Browning Collinsworth. He was born just a year and a half apart from his older brother Cris.
Following in his top-scorer father’s footsteps, he opted for basketball instead of football, unlike his brother. On top of that, he joined his brother’s rival college, Florida State University.
Apart from sports, Greg later turned into a monetary organizer. And his older brother Cris was one of his clients.
Greg was a larger-than-life character. Sadly, he was taken away too soon, leaving a hole in his family, especially his brother’s life.
Greg Collinsworth Death: His Impact on Cris Collinsworth’s Life And Broadcasting
The broadcaster’s younger brother had a significant impact on his day-to-day life.
“There is some other half of everybody in the world, and he was the other half of me,” Cris said.
Greg Collinsworth died of Colon Cancer. Despite his brother taking him to Cincinnati for first-class treatment, he couldn’t survive the long battle.
Cris still remembers the little things Greg used to do for his brother. Like, create flip cards with color-coded, detailed information on each player to help with his broadcasting.
“If people only knew how many times he was my big brother and those times when I had to count on him to be strong.”
Furthermore, following Greg’s death, Cris used football as a primary form of distraction. He never missed a single broadcasting session and is deeply thankful to his brother for his sacrifices.
