Nick Collins facts for kids
Collins in 2006
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| No. 36 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 16, 1983 Cross City, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 207 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Dixie County (Cross City) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Bethune–Cookman (2002–2004) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 51 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Nicholas Cordell Collins, born on August 16, 1983, is a former American football player. He played as a safety for seven years with the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). Nick played college football for the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats. The Packers chose him in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft in 2005.
In the 2008 season, Nick led the entire league in two exciting ways: most interceptions returned for touchdowns and most yards gained from those interceptions. He made a famous play in Super Bowl XLV, intercepting a pass from Ben Roethlisberger and running it back for a touchdown. This helped the Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31–25.
Sadly, Nick suffered a serious neck injury in 2011 that ended his career. The Packers released him in 2012, and he officially announced his retirement in 2014. In 2016, Nick Collins was honored by being inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Nick Collins was a talented athlete in high school. He went to Dixie County High School in Cross City, Florida. There, he played many sports. He was a quarterback, running back, and defensive back in football.
As a senior, he was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He also played basketball as a guard and baseball as a center fielder.
College Football Career
Nick continued his football journey at Bethune–Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He played for the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats football team.
Starting Strong in College
In 2002, Nick mostly played as a backup linebacker. He played in all 13 games and started the last two games as a strong safety. He finished the season with 35 tackles and one interception.
In 2003, Nick became a full-time starter at free safety. He started 11 of 12 games. This was a great year for him! He led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with six interceptions. He also had 54 tackles and scored his first college touchdown by returning an interception 45 yards. He was chosen for the all-conference team that season.
Senior Year Success
As a senior in 2004, Nick was recognized as an All-America player. He again led his conference with six interceptions. He also led his team in solo tackles and passes defended. He scored his second college touchdown that year.
In his final college game, he made a game-saving interception. He picked off a pass with less than two minutes left, sending the game into overtime. Bethune-Cookman eventually won a thrilling double-overtime game 58–52.
Professional Football Career
The Green Bay Packers picked Nick Collins in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft. He was the 51st player chosen overall. Many experts thought this was an early pick for him.
Joining the Packers in 2005
On August 2, 2005, Nick signed a five-year contract with the Packers. The team hoped he would become their starting free safety. He competed for the job during training camp. Head coach Mike Sherman named Nick the starting free safety for the season.
Nick played his first professional game against the Detroit Lions. He made one tackle in that game. Later in the season, he had 11 tackles and his first career interception against the Minnesota Vikings. He finished his rookie year in 2005 with 84 tackles, seven passes defended, and one interception. He started all 16 games.
2006 Season Highlights
In 2006, Nick remained the starting free safety. In Week 17, he had a fantastic game against the Chicago Bears. He made six tackles, deflected three passes, and had two interceptions. He also scored his first career touchdown by returning an interception 55 yards! This is often called a "pick six." He ended the 2006 season with 80 tackles, ten pass deflections, and three interceptions.
Playoff Experience in 2007
Nick continued as the starting free safety in 2007. He missed three games due to a knee injury. He finished the season with 46 tackles.
The Green Bay Packers had a great year, finishing with a 13–3 record. They made it to the playoffs. Nick started in his first playoff game, helping the Packers win against the Seattle Seahawks. The Packers later lost to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game.
Leading the League in 2008
Nick had an amazing year in 2008. He scored three touchdowns by returning interceptions. One memorable play was a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
His excellent play earned him his first Pro Bowl selection. He finished the 2008 season with 72 tackles, 15 pass deflections, and a career-high seven interceptions. He led the entire league with three "pick sixes" and 295 interception return yards.
2009 and More Pro Bowl Selections
In 2009, Nick continued to be a key player for the Packers. He recorded his first career sack against quarterback Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys. He also had an interception in four straight games.
Nick was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl, his second straight selection. He ended the 2009 season with 53 tackles and six interceptions. The Packers made the playoffs again but lost a close overtime game to the Arizona Cardinals.
Super Bowl Champion in 2010
Before the 2010 season, Nick signed a new four-year contract with the Packers. He continued as the starting free safety. He was voted to the 2011 Pro Bowl, making it his third straight selection.
The Green Bay Packers had a fantastic playoff run. They won against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons. On January 23, 2011, they beat the Chicago Bears to win the NFC Championship.
On February 6, 2011, Nick started in Super Bowl XLV. He made a huge play by intercepting a pass from Ben Roethlisberger and returning it 37 yards for a touchdown. This helped the Packers win the Super Bowl!
Career-Ending Injury in 2011
In 2011, Nick started the season strong. However, on September 18, 2011, he suffered a severe neck injury during a game. He was trying to tackle a player when his head collided with the player's tailbone. This caused a serious neck injury.
Nick had surgery for a herniated disk in his neck. It was announced that he would miss the rest of the 2011 season.
Retirement from Football
On April 25, 2012, the Green Bay Packers released Nick from the team. This was due to concerns about his ability to play football again after his neck injury. In September 2012, his agent confirmed that the injury would likely end his career.
On August 20, 2014, Nick Collins officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Twitter.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | |||
| 2005 | GB | 16 | 84 | 63 | 21 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2006 | GB | 16 | 82 | 67 | 15 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 68 | 22.7 | 55 | 1 | 13 |
| 2007 | GB | 13 | 46 | 40 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2008 | GB | 16 | 72 | 60 | 12 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 295 | 42.1 | 62 | 3 | 15 |
| 2009 | GB | 16 | 53 | 44 | 9 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 110 | 18.3 | 31 | 0 | 13 |
| 2010 | GB | 16 | 70 | 59 | 11 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 4 | 34 | 8.5 | 24 | 0 | 12 |
| 2011 | GB | 2 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Career | 95 | 419 | 342 | 77 | 1.0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 507 | 24.1 | 62 | 4 | 67 | |
Personal Life and Coaching
Nick Collins and his wife Andrea live in Orlando, Florida. While in college, Nick volunteered at elementary schools and the YMCA. He also taught at a football camp for kids. He has a daughter named Jenajah and four sons: Nicholas Jr., Nmar'e, Nash, and Nixon.
Nick has coached high school football. He was a Defensive back's coach for Lake Highland Preparatory School. He helped them win championships in 2021 and 2022.
His son, Nicholas Jr., is also a talented defensive back. He received an offer to play at Bethune-Cookman, his father's and grandfather's college. After the 2022 high school season, Nick Collins returned to Bethune-Cookman to coach cornerbacks.
Nick's father, Willie Collins, who was a college quarterback, passed away from cancer in 2009. Nick said his father was his best friend and always helped him be his best.
