Meet Cris Collinsworths wife, the strong foundation behind his life and success

Cris Collinsworth’s wife is Kentucky-born attorney, Holly Bankemper Collinsworth, whom he married in 1989. The NBC Sunday Night Football analyst thinks Holly is a “really strong wife” and told Northern Kentucky Magazine in 2011 that their long-term marriage is one of his greatest achievements.

I consider a successful life for me to be: Am I married to the same woman that I married when I was 30 years old?… That’s kind of it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

• Cris Collinsworth and his wife, Holly Collinsworth, attended the same law school.
• They tied the knot in 1989 after his NFL retirement.
• Holly has been a practising attorney since the late 1980s and has dedicated her life to helping women fighting breast cancer.
• The couple has four adult children who have followed in their father’s footsteps as athletes and sports media personnel.

Holly Bankemper’s profile summary

Full name	Holly Bankemper Collinsworth
Gender	Female
Date of birth	December 23, 1963
Age	62 years old (as of June 2026)
Zodiac sign	Capricorn
Place of birth	Fort Thomas, Kentucky, United States
Current residence	Fort Thomas, Kentucky, United States
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	White
Sexuality	Straight
Height	Approx. 5 feet 8 inches (1.7 m/170 cm)
Hair colour	Blonde
Eye colour	Green
Marital status	Married
Spouse	Anthony Cris Collinsworth (1989 to date)
Children	Katie Collinsworth Austin Collinsworth Ashley Collinsworth Jac Collinsworth
Parents	John Bankemper, Charlene Bankemper
High school	Highlands High School
College	University of Cincinnati (J.D.) University of Kentucky (Bachelor’s)
Profession	Attorney, philanthropist

Who is Cris Collinsworth’s wife?

Cris Collinsworth is married to Kentucky native Holly Collinsworth (née Bankemper). She was born on December 23, 1963, in Fort Thomas to John and Charlene Bankemper.

Holly attended Highlands High School. After marriage, Cris told The Enquirer in 2002 that they decided to build a life in Kentucky so that Holly could be near her family.

My wife is very happy here. Her parents are five minutes away. Her brother and sister are nearby. With me being away so much, it really does help that they’re around to help. And I like it here, too.

Holly Bankemper’s education and law career

Cris Collinsworth’s wife obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky, where she was a cheerleader for the Kentucky Wildcats. Holly proceeded to law school at the University of Cincinnati College of Law and graduated in 1988 with a J.D.

Holly Bankemper is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association and has been a general attorney for nearly four decades. She has practised in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and Longboat Key, Florida.

How did Cris Collinsworth meet his wife?

Cris and Holly met in Cincinnati through mutual friends when Bankemper was about to join the University of Cincinnati College of Law. On their first date, Holly let him know that she was not one of his “floozies.” While describing their encounter, Cris told Cincinnati Magazine in 2001:

I was just lucky. And you’ve got to know how brave I was at 25 years old. I had more nerve than any human being alive. But she’s great.

The former Bengals wide receiver joined Holly in law school and graduated in 1991, three years after she got her JD. Cris did not pursue law after graduation but instead chose a career in sports media after retiring from the NFL.

Holly Bankemper and Cris Collinsworth’s marriage

Cris proposed to Holly in July 1988 during his final year with the Bengals. He tried to seek help from sportscaster Al Michaels to propose during an MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati, but Al was reluctant because it was a big game. Cris told the Herald Mail in 2018 that he wanted to ask Bankemper to marry him on the videoboard.

That was the best thing — Al has done a lot of amazing things for me — but if somehow I talked him into allowing me to propose to my wife on the Jumbotron, she would have definitely said no. And even if she said yes, she would have hated it her entire life.

Collinsworth ended up proposing to Holly Bankemper on a bridge over the Ohio River. They tied the knot on June 3, 1989, and have been together ever since.

Holly Bankemper and Cris Collinsworth’s children

Cris and Holly Bankemper have four children, including two daughters and two sons. They welcomed their daughter, Katie Collinsworth Hughes, in 1990 and later had their son, Austin Collinsworth, on December 24, 1991.

Holly and Cris’ daughter, Ashley Collinsworth Briley, was born in 1993, while their lastborn, son Jac Collinsworth, was born on February 13, 1995. Holly is not active on social media, but her children often celebrate her and Cris in interviews and online. On Mother’s Day 2029, her youngest son, Jac, wrote on Instagram:

Gave us a backbone & a heart. Owe you one. We love you, Mama.

What do Holly and Cris Collinsworth’s children do?

The Collinsworth siblings are all college graduates with successful careers. Katie Collinsworth Hughes graduated from the University of Florida in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations. She has worked for Golf Channel’s GolfNow, CBS, and NBC, per her LinkedIn.

Austin Collinsworth is a former college football star. From 2010 to 2014, he played for Notre Dame as a safety and was the team captain. Austin earned his MBA in 2015. According to his LinkedIn, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Pro Football Focus (PFF), where his dad, Cris, has been a majority owner since 2014.

Ashley Collinsworth Briley also inherited her father’s athleticism and ran track and field at Harvard University. She graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has worked at 21c Museum Hotels as a sales coordinator.

Jac Collinsworth graduated from Notre Dame in 2017 and followed in his father’s footsteps as a sports commentator. He became an ESPN reporter in August 2017 on the pregame show, Sunday NFL Countdown. Since 2020, Jac has been a play-by-play announcer and host for NBC Sports.

Do Holly Bankemper and Cris Collinsworth have grandkids?

Cris and Holly are doting grandparents. Their daughter, Katie Collinsworth Hughes, has four children with her husband, Patrick Hughes. The Hughes family resides in Orlando, Florida.

Ashley Collinsworth Briley and her husband, Jared Briley, welcomed their first child, daughter Collins, in October 2024. Jac Collinsworth does not have a wife yet, and Austin keeps his personal life private.

Katie regularly posts Holly and Cris Collinsworth spending time with their grandkids. In a May 2019 Instagram post, Cris wrote, “Grandpa duty is one of the greatest joys of my life.”

Holly Bankemper’s dedicated philanthropy

Cris and Holly Collinsworth co-founded the non-profit organisation, Cris Collinsworth ProScan Fund (CCPF), in 2002. They sit on the NPO’s board of directors, per the CCPF website. The foundation operates in Cincinnati to provide support to women fighting breast cancer.

CCPF offers early detection and education services through the Pink Ribbon Programs. At their Pink Ribbon Centres, women get free screening, diagnostic mammograms, and breast ultrasounds. They also offer patients rides to clinics and give care packages to newly diagnosed patients.

Cris and Holly’s CCPF also offers youth development programs through the Queen City Classic Chess programs. They provide training and hold chess tournaments. The NPO’s activities are funded through community donations, corporate grants, and fundraising events.

Holly has also improved schools in Kentucky and served on the board of directors of the Fort Thomas Education Foundation. For her philanthropy, she was featured on The Enquirer’s Women of the Year List in 2007. In a May 2020 Instagram post, Holly’s son, Austin Collinsworth, called her a hero for always helping others.

My mom always taught me selfless service is the greatest form of gratitude. She dedicates her life to it. She was the driving force behind rebuilding 3 elementary schools, Highlands Middle School, and Highlands High School. Hometown hero and even better mom.

What is Cris Collinsworth’s personal life?

Cris was born on January 27, 1959, in Dayton, Ohio, before the family relocated to Florida when he was four years old. His parents, Abraham Lincoln Collinsworth and Donetta Browning Collinsworth, were educators.

Abraham played basketball and worked as a high school principal before being promoted to superintendent of schools in Brevard County, Florida. Cris’ father passed away in October 2012 at the age of 76 from leukaemia.

The NBC commentator grew up alongside his younger brother, Greg Collinsworth, who unfortunately passed away in 2004 at the age of 44 from cancer. Greg played basketball at Florida State University. Following his brother’s death, Cris told The Gainesville Sun:

We were everything together. We’ve always sort of felt our family lived under a lucky star. But you spend a year and a half praying for him to live and the last two weeks praying for him to die.

How rich is Cris Collinsworth?

Cris Collinsworth’s net worth is estimated to be $25 million in 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth. In 2025, he signed a contract extension with NBC to remain a game analyst on Sunday Night Football until the 2029/2030 season. He reportedly earns a salary of around $12.5 million per year.

Collinsworth has a longstanding partnership with NBC dating back to 1990. The game analyst formed an iconic prime-time football duo alongside legendary announcer Al Michaels for 13 seasons on Sunday Night Football. After Al’s departure, Cris was paired with Mike Tirico in 2022.

Cris had a successful 8-season NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, who drafted him in 1981 out of the University of Florida. The 6-foot-5 former wide receiver retired after the 1988 season.

FAQs

• Is Cris Collinsworth still married? Yes. The former NFL wide receiver has been married to Holly Bankemper Collinsworth since 1989.
• What is Holly Bankemper known for? Holly is famous for being Cris Collinsworth’s wife. She is a practising attorney in her native Kentucky.
• How old is Cris Collinsworth’s wife? Holly Collinsworth is 62 years old as of June 2026. She was born on December 23, 1963.
• How many children does Cris Collinsworth have? The former wide receiver has four children with Holly Collinsworth. The couple welcomed sons Jac and Austin and daughters Ashley and Katie.
• Does Cris Collinsworth have grandkids? The NBC game analyst and his wife, Holly, have five grandchildren as of June 2026. Their daughter Katie has four children, while Ashley has one daughter.
• Where does Cris Collinsworth currently live? Cris and Holly reside in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. They have lived there since they got married in 1989.

Conclusion

Cris Collinsworth’s wife, Holly Bankemper Collinsworth, has been the foundation behind his life and success since they crossed paths in the 1980s. Even with her busy law career, she held their family together during Cris’ gruelling NFL and NBC broadcasting schedules. Holly has also been praised for being an amazing mother and humanitarian.

Legit.ng published the biography of Dan Lanning’s wife, Sauphia Lanning. The Oregon Ducks’ head coach has been vocal about his wife’s strength and grace as a bone cancer survivor.

Dan Lanning’s successful career as a football coach is largely attributed to Sauphia’s dedication to their family. The couple married in 2009 and has three sons whom they are raising in Eugene, Oregon.

Source: Legit.ng