Meet Holly Collinsworth: The Lawyer Behind Cris Collinsworth

Cris Collinsworth and Holly Bankemper attend the 2024 Fanatics Super Bowl Party on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Credit :

Cindy Ord/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Cris Collinsworth has been married to Holly Collinsworth since 1989.
• The NFL broadcaster met Holly, a law student, while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1980s.
• The couple share four children: two sons and two daughters.

Cris Collinsworth has been married to Holly Collinsworth (née Bankemper) since 1989. The NFL broadcaster met Holly in Cincinnati during the 1980s when he was a player for the Cincinnati Bengals. Holly was about to start her law degree at the time and graduated in 1988—the same year Cris proposed. They married the following year.

Together, they have four children, including daughters Katie and Ashley, and sons Austin and Jac. Speaking with Cincinnati Magazine in January 2001, Cris expressed his gratitude for having met Holly, stating, “I’m just lucky.” He has also referred to her as a strong partner, highlighting her ability to manage family responsibilities while he travels for work.

Holly’s Early Life

Cris Collinsworth and Holly Collinsworth attend the 32nd annual Sport Emmy Awards on May 2, 2011 in New York City.

Marc Bryan-Brown/WireImage

Holly was born on December 23, 1963, in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, to Charlene and John Bankemper. She attended Highlands High School, where Cris later worked as a coach and mentor. In 2019, Holly was recognized as Highlands Alumnus of the Year and has served on the board of directors for the Fort Thomas Education Foundation.

Career and Education

Cris Collinsworth and wife Holly with their two sons in February 2019.

Jac Collinsworth/Instagram

Holly attended the University of Kentucky for her undergraduate degree, where she was a cheerleader for the Wildcats. Both Holly and Cris later enrolled at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Holly earned her J.D. in 1988, while Cris completed his three years later. After graduation, she became a practicing attorney and is a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, having worked in Fort Thomas and Longboat Key, Florida.

Their Love Story

Cris Collinsworth and wife Holly attend the 25th Annual Sports Emmy Awards on April 19, 2004 in New York City.

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The couple met in the mid-1980s, just before Holly started law school and while Cris was a wide receiver for the Bengals. Their first encounter was at The Precinct restaurant in Cincinnati, co-owned by Cris, where mutual friends introduced them on a dinner date.

Cris proposed to Holly in July 1988. His original plan was to propose on live television during the MLB All-Star Game at Riverfront Stadium. However, that fell through, and he ended up proposing on a bridge over the Ohio River after the game. They married on June 3, 1989.

Family Life

Cris Collinsworth and his family in June 2017.

Cris Collinsworth/Instagram

Since their marriage, Cris and Holly have welcomed four children: Katie (born in 1990), Austin (born December 24, 1991), Ashley (born in 1993), and Jac (born February 13, 1995). Katie graduated from the University of Florida and now works for GolfNow, a division of the Golf Channel, while Austin served as captain of the University of Notre Dame football team and is now the chief operating officer of Pro Football Focus. Jac has also stepped into broadcasting, contributing to ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown before joining NBC Sports in 2020. Meanwhile, Ashley has excelled as a track athlete at Harvard University and graduated with a degree in psychology.

Philanthropic Efforts

Holly Collinsworth and her two sons Austin and Jac in May 2015.

Jac Collinsworth/Instagram

In 2002, Cris and Holly established the Cris Collinsworth ProScan Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating breast cancer in the Cincinnati area and promoting child development through chess. Both Cris and Holly are currently listed as board members of the organization.

Austin Collinsworth publicly honored his mother on Mother’s Day in May 2020, sharing a heartfelt message on social media about her dedication to community service. "My mom always taught me selfless service is the greatest form of gratitude," he wrote, noting her significant contributions to the rebuilding of three elementary schools and Highlands Middle and High Schools.