If you’ve ever tuned into a primetime NFL game, particularly on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, you’re familiar with the voice of Cris Collinsworth. His insightful, and sometimes passionately debated, commentary has been a soundtrack to American football for decades. Naturally, curiosity about his life off the camera extends to his family, leading many to search for details like “Cris Collinsworth wife age.”
It’s a common query, but it often misses the larger, more compelling story. The focus on a number—Holly Bankemper is 61 years old, born on March 31, 1963—is just a single data point in a rich narrative of partnership, family, philanthropy, and a life built together away from the glaring lights of the NFL.
This post will not only answer that initial question but will delve into the world of Holly Bankemper, exploring who she is beyond her age, the story of her decades-long marriage to a broadcasting icon, and the life they have meticulously built centered on faith, family, and giving back.
Who is Holly Bankemper? More Than Mrs. Collinsworth
Before she was Holly Collinsworth, she was Holly Bankemper, a young woman from Cincinnati, Ohio. Her background is a world away from the high-pressure environment of professional sports broadcasting. She grew up in a tight-knit family, grounded in strong Midwestern values and a deep Catholic faith that would become the cornerstone of her own family life.
Unlike her husband, who was a star wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals and a rising sports media personality, Holly’s world was more private. She attended the University of Dayton, a Catholic research university, further cementing the educational and spiritual foundation that guides her to this day. She is often described by those who know her as down-to-earth, fiercely private, and the steadying force in Cris Collinsworth’s very public life.
Her career, though often overshadowed by her husband’s fame, is a testament to her own passions. She has worked as a Montessori teacher, a role that perfectly aligns with her patient, nurturing demeanor and her commitment to child-centric development. This experience would later inform her approach to motherhood and her involvement in the couple’s philanthropic endeavors focused on children and education.
The Love Story: How Cris and Holly Met and Built a Life
The story of how Cris and Holly met is not one of Hollywood glitz, but rather a relatable tale of hometown connections. In the mid-1980s, Cris’s first marriage had ended, and he was a single father navigating life after his NFL career had transitioned into broadcasting.
The couple was introduced by mutual friends in their shared hometown of Cincinnati. For Cris, who was already a recognizable figure in the city, meeting Holly was a return to something real and grounded. He has often spoken about how she brought stability and profound meaning to his life at a pivotal time. They began dating, and their relationship blossomed away from the national spotlight.
After a few years together, Cris Collinsworth and Holly Bankemper were married in a private ceremony in 1989. This marriage marked a new chapter for Cris, not just personally but also professionally, as his broadcasting career was beginning its ascent to the national stage. Holly, from the very beginning, was his partner and anchor, providing a sanctuary of normalcy from the demanding travel and scrutiny of his job.
A Family Forged in Faith: The Collinsworth Children
The central focus of Cris and Holly’s life together has unequivocally been their family. They are the proud parents of four children: two sons, Jac and Austin, and two daughters, Katie and Leah. The couple raised their children in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, intentionally choosing to build their life in the Cincinnati area, close to their roots and away from the media hubs of New York or Los Angeles.
Holly, drawing on her background as a Montessori teacher, was the primary architect of the children’s upbringing, ensuring they were raised with a strong sense of normalcy, discipline, and faith. The Collinsworth household is known to be deeply Catholic, with faith playing a central role in their daily lives and decision-making. This strong family unit has produced accomplished children:
- Jac Collinsworth: Following in his father’s footsteps, Jac has built a successful career in sports media, working for NBC Sports and Notre Dame Football.
- Austin Collinsworth: Austin played football at Notre Dame and had a brief stint in the NFL.
- Katie and Leah Collinsworth: The couple’s daughters have largely stayed out of the public eye, a testament to the family’s success in maintaining their privacy.
The Collinsworths are now also grandparents, a role that Holly, in particular, is said to relish, often spending time with her grandchildren and embodying the matriarchal role she has always held within the family.
The Pillars of Their Partnership: Privacy, Philanthropy, and Faith
To understand why the question “Cris Collinsworth wife age” is so limited, one must look at the pillars that uphold their 35-year marriage.
1. A Commitment to Privacy:
In an era of social media oversharing, the Collinsworths are a striking anomaly. Holly has no public social media presence, and Cris’s is largely professional. They rarely give joint interviews and never seek publicity for their relationship. This intentional privacy is their strategy for preserving the sanctity of their family life. The home Holly has created is a “no-drama zone,” a safe haven from the intense and often critical world of sports commentary.
2. A Heart for Philanthropy:
Together, Cris and Holly are dedicated philanthropists. Their charitable work is an extension of their shared values. They have been major supporters of organizations like The Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, a cause deeply personal to Holly given her background in child education and development. They have also been significant benefactors to Catholic institutions, including their children’s alma maters and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Their giving is quiet and purposeful, never for accolades but out of genuine commitment to their community.
3. An Unshakeable Foundation of Faith:
This is perhaps the most significant element of their story. Their Catholic faith is not just a Sunday ritual; it is the lens through which they view the world, parent their children, and navigate their marriage. It provides a shared moral compass and a source of strength during challenging times. This deep, shared belief system is the glue that has held their partnership together through the demands of a high-profile career and the challenges of raising a family.
Conclusion: The Story is the Partnership, Not the Number
So, yes, Holly Bankemper is 61 years old. But that statistic is the least interesting thing about her. The real story is one of a resilient, private, and deeply principled woman who has been the steadfast center of Cris Collinsworth’s world for over three decades.
She is not a “football wife” in the glamorous, spotlight-seeking sense. She is a partner, a teacher, a matriarch, and a philanthropist. She is the reason Cris Collinsworth has been able to thrive in one of the most visible jobs in television, because she has provided a home and a life that is authentic, loving, and entirely separate from the roar of the stadium.
