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© 2025 COLD WIRE MEDIA. THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY

Friday, April 17, 2026

The Life And Career Of Kerry Collins

Ben Donahue
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The Life And Career Of Kerry Collins
(Photo by: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

 

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers began play as one of two NFL expansion teams.

Before the season began, the organization drafted Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins to lead the franchise into the future.

Collins had been one of the best players in Penn State history, and he received numerous accolades following the program’s undefeated season in 1994.

After getting selected by Carolina, the QB led the franchise to the brink of a Super Bowl in just his second year.

Then, alcohol abuse nearly ended his career, and he was shipped by the Panthers to New Orleans in 1998.

The next team to give Collins a shot to redeem himself was the New York Giants.

As he did in Carolina, Collins helped the G-Men reach the postseason in his second year with the club.

Unfortunately, in Super Bowl XXXV, his inability to find his receivers led to a lopsided loss against the Baltimore Ravens.

Collins would play for three more NFL teams over the next decade before retiring in early 2012.

Since his retirement, the former quarterback has helped coach high school offenses.

This is the story of Kerry Collins.

 

Growing Up in Pennsylvania

Kerry Michael Collins was born on December 30, 1972, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

Collins’ father, Pat, was an assistant football coach at Lebanon High School, which meant that the sport was in the family’s blood.

Kerry loved football and was a skilled field general due to his knowledge of the game.

When he suited up for the Cedars, Pat Collins had a front row seat to his son’s development.

Ultimately, his position with the team would lead to a major decision in Kerry’s life.

During practice one day, head coach Hal Donley called a QB run during a full-pads practice.

After the snap, Collins kept the ball, ran into the teeth of the defense, and broke his left ankle.

The elder Collins was not happy, and he later argued with Donley about the play.

It turned out the incident was the final straw in a lingering argument between the two coaches.

“It was a showdown between longtime coaches and onetime friends that people in Lebanon say had been building for years,” a New York Times article stated in 1999.

By the time Kerry’s ankle had healed, both Pat and Kerry had moved into an apartment in the Wilson High School district in West Lawn, Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, Kerry’s brother, Patrick and mother stayed in Lebanon.

“‘It was worth it to break up the family to become a top-notch athlete. Kerry the quarterback mattered more than Kerry the person,” Collins remembered in the same Times article.

 

Wilson High Star

Transferring to a new school didn’t stop Collins from playing great football (and also making a splash as a baseball and basketball player)

He was an imposing figure as a prep player, growing over six feet and 200 pounds and possessing a cannon for a right arm.

As a senior, Collins attracted major college coaches by throwing for 2,043 yards and 17 touchdowns and taking the Bulldogs to a second-place finish in the state.

Along the way, he crushed his former teammates from Lebanon High, giving the Cedars their first loss of the season.

Collins was named to the first-team All-State squad after the year.

Additionally, he was chosen by the Detroit Tigers in the 26th round of the 1990 MLB Draft and was picked again by the Tigers in 1991 (and yet again in 1994 by the Toronto Blue Jays).

In spite of the fact that he could have been paid right away playing pro baseball, the desire to play college football led Collins to take a different route.

 

Backup at PSU

There was a decent list of top-tier schools that wanted Collins’ services as a quarterback, but he chose Penn State.

The Nittany Lions were led by long-time coach Joe Paterno, who was eager to get his team back in national title contention.

PSU was crowned national champions in 1986, but had come up short since then.
In 1990, the Nittany Lions had Tony Sacca under center, and the program went 9-3, including a loss to Florida State in the Blockbuster Bowl.

Collins came aboard in 1991 and backed up Sacca, who helped lead the team to 11 wins, including a 42-17 beatdown of Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl.

A year after throwing just six passes, Collins split time with Tony’s brother, John Sacca, in 1992 and played enough to pass for 925 yards and four touchdowns.

Through the first five weeks of the season, the Nittany Lions were undefeated before losing five of their next seven (including the Blockbuster Bowl) to close the year 7-5.

 

Starter

American Football on Field

 

PSU exited fall camp with Collins backing up John Sacca for the second year in a row.

Then, during a 31-0 blowout of Iowa on September 18, Paterno pulled Sacca in favor of Collins.

(Sacca would leave the program for Eastern Kentucky after the season).

From then on, Collins put on a quarterback display.

The Nittany Lions won their first five games, including a 70-7 crushing of Maryland, before losing two straight to Michigan and Ohio State.

Penn State then went through the remainder of the 1993 season without a loss.

One of the victories, against Michigan State on November 27, was the moment Collins became a household name.

Down by 20 at one point, the QB led the Nittany Lions back to win by one, 38-37, by passing for 352 yards.

He later threw two touchdown passes as PSU hammered Tennessee 31-13 in the Citrus Bowl.

Collins had a good year with 1,605 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 picks.

 

Leading a Loaded Team

In 1994, the Nittany Lions had a loaded offensive roster.

Not only was Collins playing under center, but he also handed off to running backs Ki-Jana Carter and Brian Milne, and threw passes to tight end Kyle Brady and receiver Bobby Engram (all future pros).

“The amount of talent on that team was absolutely ridiculous. We had backups who could’ve started for anyone else. A guy like Mike Archie had to play behind Ki-Jana. We were stacked. That recruiting class behind me [1992] has to be one of the best ever to come through Penn State,” Collins said in 2018.

Behind Collins’ sharp passes and heady play, PSU blitzed through the regular season undefeated.

The QB had a 66.7 completion percentage, 2,679 passing yards, 21 touchdowns (all three led the Big-Ten), seven interceptions, and his 2,660 total offensive yards set a school record.

Also, his 10.1 yards per game, 10.55 adjusted yards per game, and 172.9 pass efficiency rating all led the Big Ten, and Collins’ last three stats led the nation.

Furthermore, number 12 broke several school single-season records, and the PSU offense finished first in the nation in total offense (520.2 yards per game) and scoring (47.8 points per game).

“On what was arguably one of the most dynamic offenses ever assembled, Kerry Collins was the driving force that made it go,” Fran Ganter, the Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator from 1984-2003, said.

 

Award Winner

In his final game as a collegian, Collins helped torch Pac-10 champ Oregon in the Rose Bowl, 38-20.

Penn State ended the year 12-0 and was named National Champions.

During awards season, he was chosen as a first-team All-Big Ten, the Big Ten MVP, the conference Offensive Player of the Year, a Consensus All-American, picked as the Maxwell Award winner, the Davey O’Brien Award for the best QB in the country, and the Sammy Baugh Trophy for the top collegiate passer.

Additionally, he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Collins’ four years in Happy Valley produced a 56.3 completion percentage, 5,304 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

“I don’t know, the memories and the bond and the feelings are so much richer in college than they are in the pros. And I had some great moments in the pros, don’t get me wrong. Some great teammates and great teams. But those college years, those are the ones I really look back on. That’s when it was really special,” said Brady.

 

High Expectations

American Football Field

 

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars were set to begin play as NFL expansion franchises.

All teams in the league at the time were required to unprotect some veteran players to become eligible as picks in the Expansion Draft that year.

Carolina loaded up with several vets that included quarterbacks Jack Trudeau (formerly of the Colts and Jets) and Doug Pederson (a former Dolphin).

Then, with the franchise’s first-ever draft selection, the Panthers chose Collins with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft.

The rookie then raised eyebrows during his first minicamp when he missed the final day and called head coach Dom Capers with his excuse.

“Coach, I can’t take the pressure,” he said.

Collins returned in time for training camp and started 13 games during Carolina’s inaugural season.

While the Panthers finished with a respectable seven wins, the rookie passed for 2,717 yards, 14 touchdowns, 19 interceptions and rushed for three scores.

He was chosen as a member of the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

 

Near Miss

To say that Carolina’s 1996 season was a complete surprise is an understatement.

Seven wins in 1995 were better than expected, but no one outside the franchise thought they would do much better in year two.

The Panthers started the year with a 5-4 record before getting white-hot.

In the final seven games of the season, Carolina went unbeaten.

Collins had a solid year in 12 starts, passing for 2,454 yards, 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, leading to a Pro Bowl invite.

A 12-4 record gave the team a first-round bye, and in the franchise’s first-ever playoff game, Collins passed for two touchdowns as Carolina beat the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round, 26-17.

One week later, the Panthers traveled to Green Bay for the NFC Championship.

In the first quarter, Collins found fullback Howard Griffith for a three-yard pass and a 7-0 lead.

That turned out to be the highlight of the day as the Packers and QB Brett Favre ran away with it, 30-13.

 

Struggles with Alcohol

During training camp in 1997, Collins did something that gave the Panthers leadership pause.

On the last day of camp, the quarterback appeared to be drunk and used racial slurs at receiver Muhsin Muhammad and lineman Norberto Davidds-Garrido.

The incident was a shock to the team and Coach Capers, who had a sit-down with Collins.

“[I was] very intoxicated. There was a lot of celebrating going on in the dorms. I used a term not meant to be [derogatory.] I was trying to be a funny guy. In my polluted, chemically-altered mind, I believed it would bring a sense of camaraderie to us,” Collins explained in 2001.

When the season commenced, Collins didn’t look as competent to play NFL football as he did in his first two years.

As the Panthers went 7-9, he passed for 2,124 yards, 11 touchdowns, and a league-high 21 interceptions.

Things got even worse for the QB in 1998.

When the franchise started the year 0-4, Collins went to Capers and asked to be benched, believing that his play was a detriment to the team.

It was later reported that he wanted to be traded, but the team instead shocked the NFL world by putting Collins on waivers.

“I never intended to quit the team,” Collins said in 2001. “I intended to discuss the situation with him. I was at a time in my life where I was confused about a lot of things.”

 

Failing in the Big Easy

The New Orleans Saints and head coach Mike Ditka signed Collins for the remainder of the 1998 season.

Although he started seven games and passed for 1,202 yards, four touchdowns, and 10 picks, Collins’ issues with alcohol continued.

On November 2, just hours after playing a game against his former team in Carolina, Collins was pulled over and arrested for drunk driving.

Shortly after the season ended, the Saints cut Collins, and he entered an alcohol rehab center.

“When I went to rehab,” Collins said, “I checked Kerry Collins the football player at the door. I took a long, hard look at myself. I found alcohol fueled the fire of a lot of my problems. I used it as a rebellious tool. It was like, by drinking, I said, ‘I’ll show you. I’ll hurt me.'”

 

Second Chance with the Giants

Helmets of the New York Giants
(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

 

In February 1999, New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi signed Collins to a four-year deal worth $16.9 million after a lengthy discussion with the QB.

“Any time you make a decision,” said Accorsi, “you take a risk. But I knew the people I was talking to really knew Kerry. And once I met with Kerry, I immediately trusted him and liked him. And I knew he was serious.”

Collins competed all season with Kent Graham, started seven games, and passed for over 2,300 yards, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions while the G-Men went 7-9.

Then, in 2000, Graham became a member of the Steelers, and Collins took over full-time duties under center.

For the first time in his career, the QB started all 16 games and helped lead the Giants to an unexpected 12-4 record.

He threw for 3,610 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 picks.

 

Super Bowl XXXV

super bowl

 

First up for New York in the playoffs was division rival Philadelphia.

The Giants advanced with a 20-10 win and met the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC Championship Game.

These were the same Vikings that were only two years removed from going 15-1.

However, Collins had a record-setting day for the team by passing for 381 yards and five touchdowns in a surprising 41-0 shutout.

“Kerry Collins took the New York Giants to the Super Bowl,” Fassel said two weeks later. “But that’s not the success story here. The success story is Kerry Collins himself.”

Before Super Bowl XXXV, the Baltimore Ravens were favored by three points.

In hindsight, it should have been more.

The Ravens were ahead 17-0 before Giants receiver Ron Dixon took a kick return 97 yards to the house.

Baltimore would answer with 17 unanswered points to win easily, 34-7.

During the contest, Collins connected on just 15 of his 39 pass attempts for 112 yards and four interceptions.

His passer rating of 7.1 tied for the second-worst passer rating in Super Bowl history.

 

Staying on the Right Path

For the next two years, Collins started every game and performed well.

During the 2002 season, he passed for a career-high 4,073 yards along with 19 touchdowns.

That same year, New York went 10-6 and lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round, 39-38.

At one point in the contest, the Giants were comfortably leading 38-14 before the Niners went on a furious comeback to pull out the win.

By 2003, Collins was sticking with his therapy for alcohol use and had become a model citizen.

He married Brooke Isenhour, and the couple had a daughter.

The Collinses also got involved in charity work.

“I am more indebted to [the Giants] for their faith in me than anything on the earth,” Collins said to the media. “My whole motivation is to repay them.”

After a 2003 season where he started 13 times and threw for over 3,100 yards and 13 touchdowns, New York decided not to re-sign Collins after Eli Manning was drafted in 2004.

“It’s been a great five years,” he said. “I’m looking forward to a new start somewhere.”

 

A Raider and a Titan

Oakland Raiders helmet is seen on the field after the game between Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2019 in London, England.
(Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

 

Not long after Collins was released by New York, the Oakland Raiders signed the quarterback, and he started 13 games for head coach Norv Turner after Rich Gannon suffered a career-ending injury.

Oakland won only five games as Collins tossed a league-high 20 interceptions.

The following year, he started 15 games and passed for 3,759 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 picks, but the Raiders won just four games.

Collins was then signed by the Tennessee Titans, who wanted a veteran QB to mentor rookie Vince Young.

In 2006 and 2007, he started four games while Young played a majority of the snaps.

Early in the 2008 season, Young was injured and Collins filled in for the remainder of the year.

He responded with 2,676 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while leading the Titans to a 13-3 record and a 13-10 divisional round loss to Baltimore.

After the season, Collins played in his second Pro Bowl.

 

Retirement, Part I

Retirement

 

At the dawn of 2009, the Titans re-signed Collins to be their starter.

“This is where I wanted to be, and my family loves Nashville,” Collins said. “It is just part of the process. Free agency comes about, and there are lots of talks and rumors. At the end of the day, this is where I want to be, and I am happy it worked out.”

Regrettably, the season didn’t begin well, and Collins was benched after a 0-6 start and a 59-0 drubbing at the hands of New England in Week 6.

Young was reinserted as the starter, and the team rebounded to finish 8-8.

Collins was still on the Tennessee roster in 2010 and started seven games, passing for 1,823 yards, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Then, in the summer of 2011, the quarterback retired.

“The past several months have brought 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.

 

Retirement, Part II

retirement

 

Collins’ retirement lasted almost two months before being coaxed back by the Indianapolis Colts, who needed a veteran arm after Peyton Manning was ruled out for the entire year due to a neck injury.

During the 2011 season, Collins started three games (losing each) and passed for 481 yards, two touchdowns and a pick.

At the end of October, the Colts placed him on injured reserve due to a concussion.

Collins was released in March 2012, and this time he stayed retired for good.

During his career, Collins passed for 40,922 yards, 208 touchdowns, 196 interceptions, and had 686 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler and a PFWA All-Rookie Team member.

 

Coach Collins

Since leaving the NFL, Collins has kept a relatively low profile.

In 2022, he volunteered to coach the quarterbacks at Franklin High School in Tennessee.

Two years later, Collins was hired by Summit High School in Spring Hill, Tennessee, to become their offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

 

References

https://www.giants.com

https://www.pennlive.com

https://www.pennlive.com

lebtown.com

https://playfootball.nfl.com

https://www.cbsnews.com

https://www.nbcsports.com

https://lancasteronline.com

https://www.daveyobrienaward.com

https://www.raiders.com

https://footballfoundation.org

https://www.sports-reference.com

https://www.pro-football-reference.com

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Ben Donahue
Contributor at Pro Football History
Over 25 years of experience in sports including coach, athletic director, game day operations, media relations, football operations, and scout. He is [...]

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