Cris Collinsworth was back under the microscope as the 2026 NFL season kicked off, and fans wasted no time letting NBC know they’d had enough.
The reaction came fast during the Patriots-Seahawks opener, where viewers were already bristling over Collinsworth’s nonstop references to the teams’ previous Super Bowl matchup. Some fans also said he simply dominates the broadcast too much, turning the game into a running soundtrack of Collinsworth commentary.
The backlash sharpened when Sam Darnold went down in the first quarter after taking a hit and suffering a hip injury. As Darnold limped toward the medical tent, Collinsworth kept talking up Seattle’s offensive line as dominant, a call that drew criticism online for feeling far too casual in the moment. It wasn’t until Darnold was officially ruled out that some viewers felt the broadcast properly acknowledged how serious the situation was.
“The NBC broadcast have been very nonchalant about the Sam Darnold injury, no?” Ben Axelrod of Front Office Sports wrote on X.
The frustration with Collinsworth didn’t stop there. Social media lit up almost immediately, with fans unloading on his performance and his style in general.
“Cris Collinsworth, that interception was not on, Doubs, buddy, you’re awful,” one fan said.
“As a surprise to absolutely nobody, Cris Collinsworth still sucks,” a second fan wrote.
“Cris Collinsworth sucks a giant bag of d-s. The season just started, and I’m already tired of hearing that a-hole. Do better,” a third fan added.
“Haven’t even reached Halftime of the 1st game of the NFL season and I’m tired of Cris Collinsworth,” one final fan commented.
For anyone hoping the criticism might push him off the air soon, NBC’s commitment is already locked in. Collinsworth is signed with NBC Sports through the 2029-30 NFL season, putting him on track to potentially retire or wrap up his prominent broadcasting run around 2030.
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