Why Jason Garrett replaced Cris Collinsworth for Bengals vs Ravens today; ‘where is he?’
Cris Collinsworth, the former Bengals wideout who marked his 500th career broadcast on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, was not in the booth Thursday
Cris Collinsworth, the former Bengals wideout who marked his 500th career broadcast on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, was not in the booth for Cincinnati’s Week 13 matchup against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Thanksgiving. His replacement, Jason Garrett, faced intense scrutiny on social media, with fans wondering where the veteran is.
During the closing moments of NBC’s Buccaneers–Rams broadcast, Collinsworth and play-by-play partner Mike Tirico revealed that Jason Garrett will handle color commentary duties in Collinsworth’s place for the holiday game. Collinsworth is slated to rejoin Tirico for NBC’s Sunday broadcast.
“The only thing worse than Collinsworth is when NBC has Jason Garrett on the call,” one fan posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
In discussing Cincinnati’s playoff push, Collinsworth weighed in on the team’s biggest question: Joe Burrow’s status.
“Are they gonna play Joe Burrow?” he said Sunday night, noting that the quarterback has returned to practice and holds significant influence over decisions. Collinsworth added that Ja’Marr Chase “won’t be too happy” about missing time, and suggested the choice becomes even more intriguing if Cincinnati believes it can sweep Baltimore. Still, he cautioned that risking a franchise quarterback would be difficult.
Burrow echoed the urgency earlier in the week, telling reporters on Nov. 25 that the Bengals “pretty much have to win every game” to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Who is Cris Collinsworth?
Cris Collinsworth (born January 27, 1959) is a Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver turned Emmy Award-winning NBC Sunday Night Football color commentator. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Cincinnati Bengals (1981-1988), he caught 417 passes for 6,698 yards and 36 TDs, starring in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII. After retiring, he joined NBC in 1990, then HBO and Fox, before returning to NBC in 2009 alongside Al Michaels and now Mike Tirico.
Known for his detailed preparation, signature “Now here’s a guy…” phrase, and slide-in booth entrances, the 6-foot-5 Collinsworth has called 11 Super Bowls and co-founded Pro Football Focus (PFF).
