Gary Collins (American football)

Last updated

Gary Collins
Gary Collins FB.jpg
Collins at Maryland in 1961
No. 86
Position: Wide receiver, punter
Personal information
Born: (1940-08-20) August 20, 1940 (age 82)
Williamstown, Pennsylvania
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school: Williamstown
College: Maryland
NFL Draft: 1962  / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:331
Receiving yards:5,299
Receiving touchdowns:70
Punts:336
Punting average:41.0
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Gary James Collins (born August 20, 1940) is a former American football wide receiver and punter who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1962 to 1971.

Contents

Early life

Born in Williamstown, Pennsylvania, Collins attended Williamstown High School and was recruited by the University of Maryland. During his three seasons (1959–61) with the Terrapins, he established a number of school records, and left his mark on the Atlantic Coast Conference record book as well. In 1961, he finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. [1]

NFL career

The Browns chose Collins with the fourth draft pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and immediately made him the starting punter, while also using him as a reserve for veteran receiver Ray Renfro. In 1963, he moved into the starting lineup and led the team with 43 receptions and teamed with quarterback Frank Ryan to pace the league with 13 touchdowns catches. The latter mark broke a team record of nine, established by Dante Lavelli in 1947.

The following year, rookie Paul Warfield became Ryan's top receiver, but Collins developed a knack for coming through in the clutch. The first instance came in the season's second game, when he caught a fourth-down pass from Ryan to set up a go-ahead touchdown against the St. Louis Cardinals. Saving the best for last, Collins sparkled in the 1964 NFL championship game, when he was on the receiving end of three touchdown passes from Ryan and won the game's Most Valuable Player award in the 27–0 upset over the Baltimore Colts.

Building on the spectacular ending to that season, Collins followed with two more excellent campaigns in which he caught more than 50 passes and again finished in double digits in touchdown receptions. In 1965, he led the Browns with 50 receptions for 884 yards, and his average of 46.7 yards per punt topped the NFL. His 56 catches for 946 yards again led the team in 1966. [2]

In 1967, Collins saw his numbers for both receiving and punting drop, but he made his second straight Pro Bowl appearance. The following year, Collins gave up his punting duties, but suffered a severe shoulder injury in the October 5 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The injury kept him out of action until the final week of the regular season and limited him to just nine receptions. While he made the most of those catches by averaging over 25 yards per grab, Collins caught no touchdown passes for the only time in his career.

Collins bounced back in 1969 with 54 catches and 11 touchdown receptions and helped the Browns reach the NFL Championship game for the fourth time in six seasons. In 1970, the punishing life of an NFL receiver began to catch up with him as he suffered from a number of rib injuries that limited him to 26 catches. In the team's December 12 game against the Dallas Cowboys, played in a driving rainstorm which turned the Cleveland Stadium surface into mud, a costly fumble by Collins after being hit in the ribs stopped a key drive and played a role in the team's 6–2 loss, a defeat that helped keep the team out of the postseason.

The ascension of new head coach Nick Skorich in 1971 would eventually develop into a personality conflict between Collins and the new mentor. After just 15 receptions that year, Collins announced during the offseason that he would retire unless he was traded to either the Washington Redskins or New York Jets. [2] [3]

Post-NFL career

When neither team was able to work out a deal, Collins retired and took an assistant coaching position with Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. He signed as a player-coach with the WFL's Florida Blazers in 1974, but sustained a broken collarbone in preseason and saw only limited action later in the season, recording 3 catches. After then leaving football altogether, he worked as an insurance agent in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and did some broadcasting. Married in 1980, Collins has two children and six grandchildren. [4]

Legacy

Collins retired with 339 receptions for 5,299 yards and 70 touchdowns. He remains the Browns' leader in career receiving touchdowns, and his reception total ranks second behind that of Ozzie Newsome. As a punter, he averaged 41.0 yards per attempt.

Those numbers have led some of Collins' supporters to launch a quiet campaign for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, citing the similarities between Collins' career numbers and those of Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Lynn Swann.

Gary Collins is a member of The Pigskin Club Of Washington, D.C. National Collegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll.

In 2016, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Collins to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2016 [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Smith Sr.</span> American football player (born 1979)

Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for sixteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Carolina Panthers, also playing for the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football for the Utah Utes, and was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Brown (American football)</span> American football player (born 1966)

Timothy Donell Brown is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to do so. He spent sixteen years with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the NFL's greatest wide receivers of all time. Brown has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2015, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amani Toomer</span> American football player (born 1974)

Amani Askari Toomer is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner who played his entire career for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He registered over 1,000 receiving yards each season from 1999 to 2003, was a member of the 2007 Giants team that won Super Bowl XLII, and holds Giants' club records with 9,497 receiving yards, 668 receptions and 54 receiving touchdowns. He also returned 109 punts for 1,060 yards and three touchdowns. As a rookie in 1996, he led the NFL with an average of 16.6 yards on 18 punt returns.

Henry Austin Ellard is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Los Angeles Rams (1983–1993), Washington Redskins (1994–1998), and the New England Patriots (1998) of the National Football League (NFL). Ellard also qualified for the Olympic trials in 1992 in the triple jump, although he injured his hamstring during the Trials and did not make the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desmond Howard</span> American football player (born 1970)

Desmond Kevin Howard is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at Michigan, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a senior. Howard was selected fourth overall in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins and spent most of his career on special teams as a return specialist. With the Green Bay Packers, Howard was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXI after returning a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown against the New England Patriots, the longest return in Super Bowl history at the time. To date, he is the only special teams player to receive the award. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Roscoe Parrish is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Carter (American football)</span> American football player (born 1960)

Anthony Carter is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 years in the United States Football League (USFL) and National Football League (NFL). He finished his college football career as the University of Michigan's all-time leading receiver. He is also known as "AC".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Northcutt</span> American football player (born 1977)

Dennis LaMont Northcutt is a retired American professional football player who was a wide receiver and punt returner in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Arizona, earned All-American honors and set team career receiving records. A second-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions of the NFL.

Derrick Scott Alexander is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1989 to 1993 where he was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten receiver in both 1992 and 1993. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft and played nine seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns (1994–1995), Baltimore Ravens (1996–1997), Kansas City Chiefs (1998–2001), and Minnesota Vikings (2002). In 2000, he set a Kansas City Chiefs single-season record with 1,391 receiving yards. He is currently employed as an assistant coach in charge of wide receivers at Wayne State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Bennett</span> American football player (born 1987)

Earl Bryan Bennett is a former American football wide receiver who is currently the director of player development at Vanderbilt. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Vanderbilt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwayne Bowe</span> American football player (born 1984)

Dwayne Lorenzo Bowe is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Louisiana State University, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played for the Chiefs from 2007 to 2014. He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 15 in 2010, earning Pro Bowl and Second-team All-Pro honors. He also played for the Cleveland Browns in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeSean Jackson</span> American football player (born 1986)

DeSean William Jackson is an American football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American in 2006 and 2007. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and has also played for the Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Rams. Jackson has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times, and was the first player selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions in the same year when he was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a wide receiver and return specialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Brown</span> American football player (born 1988)

Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent, and an American rapper. Raised in Liberty City, Miami, Brown attended Miami Norland High School. He played college football at Central Michigan University, where he earned All-American honors in 2008 and 2009 as a punt returner. A draft steal in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brown is regarded as one of the best receivers of the 2010s, accumulating the most first-team All-Pro selections at his position throughout the decade with four consecutive selections (2014–2017), all as a member of the Steelers. He amassed more receptions than any other player in the league from his rookie season in 2010 through 2018. He is the current chair president of Kanye West's sports fashion line Donda Sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Benjamin</span> American football player (born 1989)

Travis Jayvinski Benjamin is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at the University of Miami. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Landry</span> American football player (born 1992)

Jarvis Charles Landry is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. With the Dolphins, Landry made three Pro Bowls and with the Browns, earned two more Pro Bowls. He led the league in receptions in 2017 with 112. His 564 career receptions are the most by a player through their first six seasons in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Boyd (American football)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Tyler Alexander Boyd is an American football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, and was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Switzer</span> American football player (born 1994)

Ryan Switzer is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner. Switzer played college football at North Carolina and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was also a member of the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CeeDee Lamb</span> American football player (born 1999)

CedarianDeLeon "CeeDee" Lamb is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma where he was a consensus All-American in 2019 and was drafted by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diontae Johnson</span> American football player (born 1996)

Diontae Lamarcus Johnson is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Toledo and was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Josh Downs is an American football wide receiver for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

References

  1. ↑ Pac-10 in the Heisman Voting Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (PDF), Pacific-10 Conference, p. 4, 2005.
  2. 1 2 "Cleveland Browns' 100 best all-time players: No. 15, Gary Collins (video)". cleveland.com. July 13, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Gary Collins". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Sugar-coated baseball".
  5. ↑ "PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2016". Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2016.

Other sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.