“I actually took a trip to Montreal and my agent said to me, ‘Look, they could put an offer on the table that you’d have to sign, and would you be willing to do that if you go there?’ I said, ‘Yes, I am.’”
However, this did not happen and Collinsworth spent his entire NFL career with Cincinnati (1981–88). But the three-time All-Pro still remembers the trip to Montreal well.
“I got off the plane and I’ll never forget it, there’s media,” he said. “The very first question I was asked was just this short: ‘What do you think about taking Canadian citizen jobs?’
“It wasn’t very often in my life that I just waited for an answer and couldn’t remember what I said. I hadn’t really considered that that was an issue, which I think was clearly the case at the time.”
Collinsworth recorded 417 receptions for 6,698 yards (16.1 yards average) and 36 touchdowns over the course of his NFL career. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound former University of Florida star set a Bengals record for most catches by a rookie (67) in his freshman year in the league.
The Daytoner from Ohio cracked the 1,000-yard plateau four times. Collinsworth helped Cincinnati get into Super Bowl XVI and was the game’s leading receiver (five catches, 107 yards) but had a costly fumble in the second quarter that sent the San Francisco 49ers en route to a 26-21 win turned into a touchdown.
Collinsworth has long believed American receivers should give Canadian football serious consideration.
“I’ve always been fascinated by (CFL), especially playing wide receiver because you have real advantages there,” said Collinsworth. “The depth of the end zone only gives you three downs, so you’re throwing all the time, you get a 10-yard run start, no one ever stops you at the line of scrimmage.
“There’s really a reason why, as a receiver, you should think about wanting to play in this league. The quarterback is the star, but receivers are an even bigger part of this league to me because of all the benefits they bring.”
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 23, 2023.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
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