Kerry Collins
Encyclopedia
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football
quarterback
for the Indianapolis Colts
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers
with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft
, the first choice in the franchise's history. He also played for the New Orleans Saints
, New York Giants
, Oakland Raiders
, Tennessee Titans
, and Indianapolis Colts
in his 16-year career. He played college football
at Penn State
.
in West Lawn, Pennsylvania
. He played college football
at Penn State, where he earned many awards in football. As quarterback
, he was named All-America
n in 1994 by the Associated Press, United Press International, The Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Walter Camp and The Sporting News. Collins also captured two of college football’s major postseason prizes — the Maxwell Award
, presented to the nation’s outstanding player, and the Davey O'Brien Award
, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. Collins finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy
balloting that year. In addition, he was chosen UPI Back-of-the-Year and garnered Player-of-the-Year honors from ABC-TV/Chevrolet and the Big Ten Conference
. Collins made a serious run at the NCAA season passing efficiency record, falling just four points short (172.8), the fourth-highest figure in NCAA annals. He broke Penn State season records for total offense (2,660), completions (176), passing yardage (2,679), completion percentage (66.7), yards per attempt (10.15) and passing efficiency (172.86). He had 14 consecutive completions at Minnesota
, another Penn State record. Collins was the linchpin
of an explosive offense that shattered 14 school records and led the nation in scoring (47.8 ppg.) and total offense (520.2 ypg.). With 5,304 career passing yards, Collins ranks third in Penn State annals and is one of only three quarterbacks to top 5,000 yards through the air. With Collins at quarterback, the 1994 Nittany Lions completed an undefeated season, the fifth under coach Joe Paterno
, capped by a Rose Bowl
win over Pac-10 Champion Oregon
. His team was voted #1 by the New York Times, although they were voted #2 behind undefeated Nebraska
in the traditional polls (AP Poll
and Coaches' Poll) used to determine Division 1-A champions prior to the BCS
era.
' first round pick (fifth overall) in the 1995 NFL Draft
. He was the first player ever chosen by the Panthers in the annual college draft, though other players—some free agents
, as well as players from the expansion draft
—had previously signed with the team. In his three seasons with the Panthers, he threw for 7,295 yards, 39 touchdowns and 49 interceptions. His completion percentage was 52.6% and his quarterback rating was 65.6. In his second season, he led the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game.
Collins threw 21 interceptions during the 1997 season and the Panthers finished 7–9, just one season after advancing to the NFC Championship.
Carolina started the 1998 season with Collins as its starting quarterback. After an 0-4 start, Collins walked into head coach Dom Capers
' office and, as Collins later put it, "told Coach Capers my heart's not in it, I'm not happy, and I don't feel like I can play right now." He asked to be traded, but was instead placed on waivers by Carolina during the 1998 season and subsequently signed by the New Orleans Saints
.
Collins would later say that he did not intend to quit the team, only to sit out for a few weeks. However, Capers interpreted his request as quitting on the team and he was released. He later admitted that much of his erratic behavior was due to his struggles with alcoholism. After being arrested for drunk driving later that year, he was ordered by the NFL to seek treatment for alcohol abuse.
started to make public headlines. In a highly publicized incident, on the last night of Carolina Panthers
training camp in 1997, Collins used the racial slur "nigger
" in reference to black teammate Muhsin Muhammad
while in a drunken state at a bar in Spartanburg, South Carolina
. Supposedly, Collins also inadvertently slurred offensive lineman Norberto Garrido
, who is of Hispanic
descent. It was widely rumored that Garrido punched Collins in the eye as a result, although this was later proven false.
On November 2, 1998, Collins was arrested for drunk driving in Charlotte, North Carolina
. He finished the 1998 season in New Orleans and signed with the New York Giants
as a free agent on February 19, 1999. Not long after signing with New York, Collins decided to seek treatment for his alcoholism. He entered a rehabilitation clinic in Topeka, Kansas
.
While a member of the New York Giants, Collins remained in therapy for four years. As a member of the Tennessee Titans
, he readdressed the 1997 racial slur incident, explaining that "The guys were talking to each other that way, and I was trying to be funny and thought I could do it, too. I was so upset by it. It was bad judgment. I could have been labeled a racist for the rest of my career. I had to live with the way I used that word with a teammate. Extremely poor judgment. I was naïve to think I could use that word in any context."
, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens
. During the 2001 season, Collins set a single-season NFL record with 23 fumbles (Collins' record was tied in 2002 by then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper
). After five seasons, sixty-eight starts and 16,875 yards in New York, Collins was released by the Giants in 2004. The team had already signed former league MVP Kurt Warner
and traded for 2004's #1 draft pick, Eli Manning
. After his release, Collins signed a three-year, $16.82 million contract with the Oakland Raiders
.
, but took over the starting role when Gannon suffered a neck injury in the third week of the regular season. Collins was the team's starting quarterback for the 2005 season, subsequent to Gannon's retirement.
The 2005 Raiders season started off well for Collins, but he was benched after a 34-10 Week 12 loss to the San Diego Chargers
. After Tuiasosopo's 26-10 loss at the Jets in Week 13, Collins regained his starting job in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns
(a 9–7 loss at home). After two seasons and a 7–21 record with the Raiders, Collins was cut on March 10, 2006 in what was at least partially a move designed to free space with the salary cap.
. After three games, all losses for the Titans, Collins had completed fewer than half his passes, and had thrown one touchdown and six interceptions. Vince Young
, who played extensively as a substitute in the second game, started the fourth through sixth games while Collins saw no playing time in any of them. On March 5, 2007 he re-signed with the Titans.
After Young was injured against Jacksonville on September 7, 2008, Collins finished the game and was named the Titans starting quarterback for the rest of 2008 later that week. On September 21, 2008, Collins became the 15th player in NFL history to pass for more than 35,000 yards. Coming into the game against the Houston Texans
, Collins needed only 90 yards to eclipse the mark. On his ninth completion of 13 attempts, Collins completed a 17-yard pass to Justin McCareins to give him 107 yards on the day and 35,017 yards for his career.
The Titans finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 13–3, top seed in the playoffs, and a first round bye. In the divisional round they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 13-10. A last minute field goal by Matt Stover
won the game for the Ravens. Collins indicated after the season that he would like to play in 2009, but only as a starter. Collins replaced Jets quarterback Brett Favre
in the 2009 Pro Bowl, after first alternate Philip Rivers
pulled out. He re-signed with the Titans on February 27, 2009. His new contract was worth $15 million, with $8.5 million guaranteed over two years.
Collins returned as the team's starting quarterback for the beginning of the 2009 season. In week six the TItans were defeated by the New England Patriots
59-0. After that loss and a 0-6 record on the season, coach Jeff Fisher
replaced Collins as starting quarterback with Vince Young, three days before the November 1, 2009 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fisher stated that he was against this decision, saying that the problems with the team were unrelated to quarterback play, but he made the substitution after being urged by Titans owner Bud Adams to do so. The Titans won five straight games with Young as quarterback, and later finished the season 8-8.
At the time of his retirement announcement, Collins had 40,441 passing yards, good for 11th on the all-time list. He also had thrown 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions in 195 career games.
on a contract deal. Collins was signed as insurance for Peyton Manning
, who is recovering from offseason neck surgery. The Colts named Collins the starter for week one, ending Manning's streak of 227 consecutive starts (208 regular season plus 19 playoff games). On October 25, 2011, the Colts placed Collins on injured reserve due to a concussion, ending his season. No notification has been set if the Colts will have him back in 2012.
's most charitable players. Immediately upon signing his rookie contract with the Carolina Panthers
, he donated $250,000 to the Penn State
athletic department to permanently endow
the quarterback
position. He has donated over two million dollars to charities such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters
and the Harlem Boys Choir. In 2001, Collins donated $120,000 to Manhattan
's Ladder 5/Engine 24 Family Relief following the September 11th attack
on the World Trade Center
.
Through the KC for Kids Fund of the Kerry Collins Foundation, Collins has donated more than $500,000 for the renovation of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, a children's unit within the NYU Medical Center. Previously Collins donated $100,000 to the Institute
, to establish the Kerry M. Collins Computer Center and Classroom, with specially modified equipment for children with disabilities.
During the 2005 season, Collins pledged $1,000 for every touchdown he threw and every game the Raiders won to the American Red Cross
Hurricane Katrina
relief fund. On March 24, 2006, Collins was honored by The Second Mile
Foundation in recognition of his commitment to others.
and Asheboro, North Carolina
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
, the first choice in the franchise's history. He also played for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, and Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in his 16-year career. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
.
College career
Collins played at Wilson High SchoolWilson High School
Wilson High School may refer to:* Wilson High School * Wilson High School * Wilson High School * Wilson High School -See also:...
in West Lawn, Pennsylvania
West Lawn, Pennsylvania
West Lawn is a former borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,597 at the 2000 census. This borough was dissolved and became part of Spring Township on January 1, 2006...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Penn State, where he earned many awards in football. As quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, he was named All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n in 1994 by the Associated Press, United Press International, The Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Walter Camp and The Sporting News. Collins also captured two of college football’s major postseason prizes — the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
, presented to the nation’s outstanding player, and the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. Collins finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
balloting that year. In addition, he was chosen UPI Back-of-the-Year and garnered Player-of-the-Year honors from ABC-TV/Chevrolet and the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. Collins made a serious run at the NCAA season passing efficiency record, falling just four points short (172.8), the fourth-highest figure in NCAA annals. He broke Penn State season records for total offense (2,660), completions (176), passing yardage (2,679), completion percentage (66.7), yards per attempt (10.15) and passing efficiency (172.86). He had 14 consecutive completions at Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
, another Penn State record. Collins was the linchpin
Linchpin
A linchpin, also spelled linch pin, lynchpin, or lynch pin, is a fastener used to prevent a wheel or other rotating part from sliding off the axle it is riding on. The word is first attested in the 14th century and derives from Middle English elements meaning "axletree pin".Securing implements onto...
of an explosive offense that shattered 14 school records and led the nation in scoring (47.8 ppg.) and total offense (520.2 ypg.). With 5,304 career passing yards, Collins ranks third in Penn State annals and is one of only three quarterbacks to top 5,000 yards through the air. With Collins at quarterback, the 1994 Nittany Lions completed an undefeated season, the fifth under coach Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
, capped by a Rose Bowl
1995 Rose Bowl
The 1995 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on Monday January 2, 1995 because New Year's Day was on a Sunday. It was the 81st Rose Bowl Game. The Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Oregon Ducks 38–20. Ki-Jana Carter of Penn State and Danny O'Neil of Oregon both were named...
win over Pac-10 Champion Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
. His team was voted #1 by the New York Times, although they were voted #2 behind undefeated Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
in the traditional polls (AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and Coaches' Poll) used to determine Division 1-A champions prior to the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
era.
| Season | Comp | Att | Percent | Yards | TD | INT | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carolina Panthers
Collins was selected as the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
' first round pick (fifth overall) in the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
. He was the first player ever chosen by the Panthers in the annual college draft, though other players—some free agents
Free Agents
Free Agents is a romantic black comedy starring Stephen Mangan, Sharon Horgan and Anthony Head. Originally a pilot for Channel 4 in November 2007, the series began on 13 February 2009. It spawned a short lived US remake, which was cancelled after just 4 episodes aired.-Plot:Alex works for CMA, a...
, as well as players from the expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
—had previously signed with the team. In his three seasons with the Panthers, he threw for 7,295 yards, 39 touchdowns and 49 interceptions. His completion percentage was 52.6% and his quarterback rating was 65.6. In his second season, he led the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game.
Collins threw 21 interceptions during the 1997 season and the Panthers finished 7–9, just one season after advancing to the NFC Championship.
Carolina started the 1998 season with Collins as its starting quarterback. After an 0-4 start, Collins walked into head coach Dom Capers
Dom Capers
Ernest Dominic "Dom" Capers is an American football coach, the current defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, and the only man to serve two different National Football League expansion teams as their inaugural head coach....
' office and, as Collins later put it, "told Coach Capers my heart's not in it, I'm not happy, and I don't feel like I can play right now." He asked to be traded, but was instead placed on waivers by Carolina during the 1998 season and subsequently signed by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
.
Collins would later say that he did not intend to quit the team, only to sit out for a few weeks. However, Capers interpreted his request as quitting on the team and he was released. He later admitted that much of his erratic behavior was due to his struggles with alcoholism. After being arrested for drunk driving later that year, he was ordered by the NFL to seek treatment for alcohol abuse.
Battles with alcoholism
Before the 1997 season got underway, Collins' private battle with alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
started to make public headlines. In a highly publicized incident, on the last night of Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
training camp in 1997, Collins used the racial slur "nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
" in reference to black teammate Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad
Muhsin Muhammad II is a retired American football wide receiver who played for the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft...
while in a drunken state at a bar in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. Supposedly, Collins also inadvertently slurred offensive lineman Norberto Garrido
Norberto Garrido
Norberto Davidds-Garrido Jr. is a former American football offensive lineman.Both his Parents are from Mexico making him a first generation Mexican American.-Pro career:...
, who is of Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
descent. It was widely rumored that Garrido punched Collins in the eye as a result, although this was later proven false.
On November 2, 1998, Collins was arrested for drunk driving in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. He finished the 1998 season in New Orleans and signed with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as a free agent on February 19, 1999. Not long after signing with New York, Collins decided to seek treatment for his alcoholism. He entered a rehabilitation clinic in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
.
While a member of the New York Giants, Collins remained in therapy for four years. As a member of the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, he readdressed the 1997 racial slur incident, explaining that "The guys were talking to each other that way, and I was trying to be funny and thought I could do it, too. I was so upset by it. It was bad judgment. I could have been labeled a racist for the rest of my career. I had to live with the way I used that word with a teammate. Extremely poor judgment. I was naïve to think I could use that word in any context."
New York Giants
Collins started the 1999 season as the Giants' second-string quarterback, but soon claimed the starting job. In the 2000 season Collins led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXVSuper Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. During the 2001 season, Collins set a single-season NFL record with 23 fumbles (Collins' record was tied in 2002 by then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
). After five seasons, sixty-eight starts and 16,875 yards in New York, Collins was released by the Giants in 2004. The team had already signed former league MVP Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
and traded for 2004's #1 draft pick, Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
. After his release, Collins signed a three-year, $16.82 million contract with the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Oakland Raiders
Collins began the 2004 season as the team's backup to Rich GannonRich Gannon
Richard Joseph Gannon is a former football quarterback, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League...
, but took over the starting role when Gannon suffered a neck injury in the third week of the regular season. Collins was the team's starting quarterback for the 2005 season, subsequent to Gannon's retirement.
The 2005 Raiders season started off well for Collins, but he was benched after a 34-10 Week 12 loss to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After Tuiasosopo's 26-10 loss at the Jets in Week 13, Collins regained his starting job in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(a 9–7 loss at home). After two seasons and a 7–21 record with the Raiders, Collins was cut on March 10, 2006 in what was at least partially a move designed to free space with the salary cap.
Tennessee Titans
On August 28, 2006, Collins agreed to a one-year contract with the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. After three games, all losses for the Titans, Collins had completed fewer than half his passes, and had thrown one touchdown and six interceptions. Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
, who played extensively as a substitute in the second game, started the fourth through sixth games while Collins saw no playing time in any of them. On March 5, 2007 he re-signed with the Titans.
After Young was injured against Jacksonville on September 7, 2008, Collins finished the game and was named the Titans starting quarterback for the rest of 2008 later that week. On September 21, 2008, Collins became the 15th player in NFL history to pass for more than 35,000 yards. Coming into the game against the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Collins needed only 90 yards to eclipse the mark. On his ninth completion of 13 attempts, Collins completed a 17-yard pass to Justin McCareins to give him 107 yards on the day and 35,017 yards for his career.
The Titans finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 13–3, top seed in the playoffs, and a first round bye. In the divisional round they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 13-10. A last minute field goal by Matt Stover
Matt Stover
John Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...
won the game for the Ravens. Collins indicated after the season that he would like to play in 2009, but only as a starter. Collins replaced Jets quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
in the 2009 Pro Bowl, after first alternate Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...
pulled out. He re-signed with the Titans on February 27, 2009. His new contract was worth $15 million, with $8.5 million guaranteed over two years.
Collins returned as the team's starting quarterback for the beginning of the 2009 season. In week six the TItans were defeated by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
59-0. After that loss and a 0-6 record on the season, coach Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher
Jeffrey Michael "Jeff" Fisher is the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He has a 146-120 career record as an NFL head coach.-Early life:...
replaced Collins as starting quarterback with Vince Young, three days before the November 1, 2009 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fisher stated that he was against this decision, saying that the problems with the team were unrelated to quarterback play, but he made the substitution after being urged by Titans owner Bud Adams to do so. The Titans won five straight games with Young as quarterback, and later finished the season 8-8.
Retirement
Collins officially announced his retirement from the NFL on July 7, 2011. "The past several months have brought on much introspection, and I have decided that while my desire to compete on Sundays is still and always will be there, my willingness to commit to the preparation necessary to play another season has waned to a level that I feel is no longer adequate to meet the demands of the position," Collins said in a statement released to the media.At the time of his retirement announcement, Collins had 40,441 passing yards, good for 11th on the all-time list. He also had thrown 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions in 195 career games.
Indianapolis Colts
On August 24, 2011, Collins decided to forgo his retirement plans and agreed with the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on a contract deal. Collins was signed as insurance for Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, who is recovering from offseason neck surgery. The Colts named Collins the starter for week one, ending Manning's streak of 227 consecutive starts (208 regular season plus 19 playoff games). On October 25, 2011, the Colts placed Collins on injured reserve due to a concussion, ending his season. No notification has been set if the Colts will have him back in 2012.
Awards
- Won the 1994 Maxwell AwardMaxwell AwardThe Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
(Nation's top college player) - Won the 1994 Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
(Nation's top college quarterback) - Selected to the NFL Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
following the 1996 season. - Selected to the NFL Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
following the 2008 season.
Regular season
| Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Rtg | Att | Yds | TD | ||
| 1995 | Carolina Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... |
NFL National Football League The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... |
15 | 214 | 432 | 49.5 | 2717 | 14 | 19 | 61.9 | 42 | 74 | 3 | ||
| 1996 | Carolina | NFL | 13 | 204 | 364 | 56.0 | 2454 | 14 | 9 | 79.4 | 32 | 38 | 0 | ||
| 1997 | Carolina | NFL | 13 | 200 | 381 | 52.5 | 2124 | 11 | 21 | 55.7 | 26 | 65 | 1 | ||
| 1998 | Carolina | NFL | 4 | 76 | 162 | 46.9 | 1011 | 8 | 5 | - | 7 | 40 | 0 | ||
| 1998 | New Orleans New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
NFL | 7 | 94 | 191 | 49.2 | 1202 | 4 | 10 | - | 23 | 113 | 1 | ||
| 1999 | NYG New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
NFL | 10 | 191 | 332 | 57.5 | 2316 | 8 | 11 | 73.3 | 19 | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2000 | NYG | NFL | 16 | 311 | 529 | 58.8 | 3610 | 22 | 13 | 83.1 | 41 | 65 | 1 | ||
| 2001 | NYG | NFL | 16 | 327 | 568 | 57.6 | 3764 | 19 | 16 | 77.1 | 39 | 73 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | NYG | NFL | 16 | 335 | 545 | 61.5 | 4073 | 19 | 14 | 85.4 | 44 | -3 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | NYG | NFL | 13 | 284 | 500 | 56.8 | 3110 | 13 | 16 | 70.7 | 17 | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2004 | Oakland Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
NFL | 14 | 289 | 513 | 56.3 | 3495 | 21 | 20 | 74.8 | 16 | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | Oakland | NFL | 15 | 302 | 565 | 53.5 | 3759 | 20 | 12 | 77.3 | 17 | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2006 | Tennessee Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
NFL | 4 | 42 | 90 | 46.7 | 549 | 1 | 6 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | Tennessee | NFL | 6 | 50 | 82 | 61.0 | 531 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | -3 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | Tennessee | NFL | 16 | 242 | 415 | 58.3 | 2676 | 12 | 7 | 80.2 | 25 | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | Tennessee | NFL | 7 | 119 | 216 | 55.1 | 1225 | 6 | 8 | - | 11 | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2010 | Tennessee | NFL | 10 | 160 | 278 | 57.6 | 1823 | 14 | 8 | 82.2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | Indianapolis Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
NFL | 3 | 48 | 98 | 49.0 | 481 | 2 | 1 | 65.9 | 2 | -1 | 0 | ||
| Regular season totals | 198 | 3487 | 6261 | 55.7 | 40,922 | 209 | 196 | 73.8 | 374 | 686 | 10 | ||||
Playoffs
| Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | INT | Att | Yds | TD | ||
| 1996 NFL playoffs, 1996-97 The NFL playoffs following the 1996 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXI. This post-season was remarkable in that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers each made it all the way to their respective conference championships, only two years after their inception into the league as expansion... |
Carolina | NFL | 2 | 31 | 59 | 52.5 | 315 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2000 NFL playoffs, 2000-01 The NFL playoffs following the 2000 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXV.This would be the last time that playoff games would be played at the accustomed times of 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST... |
NYG | NFL | 3 | 56 | 98 | 57.1 | 622 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2002 NFL playoffs, 2002-03 The 2002-03 NFL playoffs followed the 2002 NFL season and concluded with Super Bowl XXXVII.Prior to the 2002-03 season, the league realigned its teams into eight divisions . Thus, the 12-team playoff format was modified... |
NYG | NFL | 1 | 29 | 43 | 67.4 | 342 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | TEN | NFL | 1 | 29 | 42 | 61.9 | 281 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Playoff totals | 7 | 145 | 242 | 59.7 | 1560 | 12 | 11 | 22 | 30 | 0 | ||||
Charity
Throughout his career, Collins had been one of the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's most charitable players. Immediately upon signing his rookie contract with the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, he donated $250,000 to the Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
athletic department to permanently endow
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position. He has donated over two million dollars to charities such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth....
and the Harlem Boys Choir. In 2001, Collins donated $120,000 to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Ladder 5/Engine 24 Family Relief following the September 11th attack
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
on the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
Through the KC for Kids Fund of the Kerry Collins Foundation, Collins has donated more than $500,000 for the renovation of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, a children's unit within the NYU Medical Center. Previously Collins donated $100,000 to the Institute
Institute
An institute is a permanent organizational body created for a certain purpose. Often it is a research organization created to do research on specific topics...
, to establish the Kerry M. Collins Computer Center and Classroom, with specially modified equipment for children with disabilities.
During the 2005 season, Collins pledged $1,000 for every touchdown he threw and every game the Raiders won to the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
relief fund. On March 24, 2006, Collins was honored by The Second Mile
The Second Mile
The Second Mile is a nonprofit organization for underprivileged youth, providing help for at-risk children and support for their parents in Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant college football coach. The charity said its youth programs serve as...
Foundation in recognition of his commitment to others.
Family
Collins and his wife, Brooke, have a daughter named Riley. The family splits time between Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 21,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County, and is the home of the state-owned North Carolina Zoo.-Geography:...
.
Sources
- Reed, Steve (January 27, 2001). Once a lost soul, Collins turns career, life around The Gaston Gazette
- King, Peter (January 22, 2001). Collins' sobering story CNNSI.com
- Gay, Nancy (October 3, 2004). Collins appreciates second chances San Francisco Chronicle