Miki Matsubara was a Japanese singer, composer, lyricist and TV personality who rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s with her catchy city pop songs.Cris Collinsworth is a familiar name to many football fans, as he has been a sports broadcaster for NBC, Showtime, and the NFL Network for over three decades. But before he became a voice of the game, he was a star wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, playing eight seasons from 1981 to 1988. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro, and a member of the Bengals team that reached Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII. So why did he retire at the age of 29, when he still had plenty of talent and potential?
A Career-Ending Injury
The answer is simple: he suffered a career-ending injury in his final season. In the fourth game of the 1988 season, against the Los Angeles Rams, Collinsworth fractured his left fibula after being tackled by cornerback LeRoy Irvin. He was carted off the field and taken to a hospital, where he underwent surgery to insert a metal rod into his leg. He missed the rest of the season and watched from the sidelines as his teammates made another run to the Super Bowl, only to lose to the San Francisco 49ers by four points.
Collinsworth hoped to return to the field in 1989, but he realized that his injury had taken a toll on his speed and agility. He also felt that he had lost some of his passion for the game, and that he wanted to pursue other interests. He announced his retirement in July 1989, saying that he had “no regrets” about his decision.
A New Career in Broadcasting
After his retirement as an NFL player, Collinsworth began a broadcasting career as a sports radio talk show host on Cincinnati station WLW¹³. He also worked as a reporter for HBO’s Inside the NFL and as an analyst for NBC’s NFL Live. In 1990, he joined Fox Sports as a color commentator for their NFL coverage, working alongside play-by-play announcers such as Pat Summerall and Joe Buck. He stayed with Fox until 2004, when he moved back to NBC as part of their Sunday Night Football team. He has also been a part of NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, the Super Bowl, and the Kentucky Derby.
Collinsworth has won 17 Sports Emmy Awards for his work as a broadcaster², and has been praised for his insight, humor, and candor. He is also the majority owner of Pro Football Focus², a website that provides advanced statistics and analysis of NFL players and teams.
A Legacy of Excellence
Cris Collinsworth may have retired from football at a young age, but he left behind a legacy of excellence on and off the field. He is one of the best wide receivers in Bengals history, holding several franchise records for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He is also one of the most respected and influential voices in sports media, bringing his knowledge and personality to millions of viewers every week. He is a football legend who has made an impact on both sides of the microphone.
