Early years

Collins was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He attended Lebanon High School, until 1987, when he transferred to Wilson High School in West Lawn, Pennsylvania, and played high school football, basketball and baseball for the Wilson Bulldogs.

College career

Collins attended Pennsylvania State University, where he played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1991 to 1994. As a senior quarterback in 1994, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from the Associated Press, United Press International, The Football News, the Football Writers Association of America, the Walter Camp Foundation and The Sporting News. Collins also captured two of college football’s major postseason prizes — the Maxwell Award, presented to the nation's outstanding player, and the Davey O'Brien Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. Collins finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting that year. In addition, he was chosen UPI Back-of-the-Year and garnered Player-of-the-Year honors from ABC-TV/Chevrolet and the Big Ten Conference. Collins made a serious run at the NCAA season passing efficiency record, falling just four points short (172.8), the fourth-highest figure in NCAA annals. He broke Penn State season records for total offense (2,660), completions (176), passing yardage (2,679), completion percentage (66.7), yards per attempt (10.15) and passing efficiency (172.86). He had 14 consecutive completions at Minnesota, another Penn State record. Collins was the linchpin of an explosive offense that shattered 14 school records and led the nation in scoring (47.8 ppg.) and total offense (520.2 ypg.). With 5,304 career passing yards, Collins ranks third in Penn State annals and is one of only three quarterbacks to top 5,000 yards through the air. With Collins at quarterback, the 1994 Nittany Lions completed an undefeated season, the fifth under coach Joe Paterno, capped by a Rose Bowl win over Pac-10 Champion Oregon. His team was voted #1 by the New York Times, although they were voted #2 behind undefeated Nebraska in the traditional polls (AP Poll and Coaches' Poll) used to determine Division 1-A champions prior to the BCS era.

Season	Comp	Att	Percent	Yards	TD	INT	W	L
1991	3	6	50.0%	95	1	1	0	0
1992	64	137	46.7%	925	4	2	2	3
1993	127	250	50.8%	1,605	13	11	7	2
1994	176	264	66.7%	2,679	21	7	12	0
TOTAL	370	657	56.3%	5,304	39	21	21	5

Professional career

Statistically Collins had a long and successful professional career, and presently ranks 13th all-time in NFL career passing yardage, and 11th all-time in NFL career passing completions. He was less successful in terms of wins and losses, and finished with a career total of 81 regular season wins (winning percentage of .450) and three playoff wins (winning percentage of .429). His lone Super Bowl appearance was for the New York Giants in their loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV. He played for a large number of professional teams, and is regarded as a journeyman quarterback.

Carolina Panthers

Collins was selected as the Carolina Panthers' first round pick (fifth overall) in the 1995 NFL Draft. He was the first player ever chosen by the Panthers in the annual college draft, though other players—some free agents, as well as players from the expansion draft—had previously signed with the team. In his three seasons with the Panthers, he threw for 7,295 yards, 39 touchdowns and 49 interceptions. His completion percentage was 52.6% and his quarterback rating was 65.6. In his second season, he led the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game.

Collins threw 21 interceptions during the 1997 season and the Panthers finished 7-9, just one season after advancing to the NFC Championship.

Carolina started the 1998 season with Collins as its starting quarterback. After an 0-4 start, Collins walked into head coach Dom Capers' office and, as Collins later put it, "told Coach Capers my heart's not in it, I'm not happy, and I don't feel like I can play right now." He asked to be traded, but was instead placed on waivers by Carolina during the 1998 season and subsequently signed with the New Orleans Saints to finish the season with seven more starts but only two wins.

Collins would later say that he did not intend to quit the Panthers, only to sit out for a few weeks. However, Capers interpreted his request as quitting on the team and he was released. He later admitted that much of his erratic behavior was due to his struggles with alcoholism. After being arrested for drunk driving later that year, he was ordered by the NFL to seek treatment for alcohol abuse.

New York Giants

Collins started the 1999 season as the Giants' second-string quarterback behind Kent Graham, but claimed the starting job in Week 11 as Graham struggled with a 5-4 record. In the 2000 season Collins led the Giants to Super Bowl XXXV, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. During the 2001 season, Collins set a single-season NFL record with 23 fumbles, a record tied in 2002 by then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper. In 2002, Collins set the Giants single season franchise passing record with 4,073 yards; the record was broken by Eli Manning in 2011. After five seasons, 68 starts and 16,875 yards, Collins was released by the Giants in 2004. The team had already signed former league MVP Kurt Warner and traded for 2004's #1 draft pick, Eli Manning. After his release, Collins signed a three-year, $16.82 million contract with the Oakland Raiders.

Oakland Raiders

Collins began the 2004 season as the team's backup to Rich Gannon, but took over the starting role when Gannon suffered a neck injury in the third week of the regular season. Collins was the team's starting quarterback for the 2005 season, subsequent to Gannon's retirement.

The 2005 Raiders season started off well for Collins, but he was benched after a 34-10 Week 12 loss to the San Diego Chargers. He was replaced by Marques Tuiasosopo. After Tuiasosopo's 26-10 loss at the Jets in Week 13, Collins regained his starting job in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns (a 9-7 loss at home). After two seasons and a 7-21 record with the Raiders, Collins was cut on March 10, 2006 in what was at least partially a move designed to free space with the salary cap.

Tennessee Titans

On August 28, 2006, Collins agreed to a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. After three games, all losses for the Titans, Collins had completed fewer than half his passes, and had thrown one touchdown and six interceptions. Vince Young, who played extensively as a substitute in the second game, started the fourth through sixth games while Collins saw no playing time in any of them. On March 5, 2007 he re-signed with the Titans.

After Young was injured against Jacksonville on September 7, 2008, Collins finished the game and was named the Titans starting quarterback for the rest of 2008 later that week. On September 21, 2008, Collins became the 15th player in NFL history to pass for more than 35,000 yards. Coming into the game against the Houston Texans, Collins needed only 90 yards to eclipse the mark. On his ninth completion of 13 attempts, Collins completed a 17-yard pass to Justin McCareins to give him 107 yards on the day and 35,017 yards for his career.

The Titans finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 13-3, top seed in the playoffs, and a first round bye. In the divisional round they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 13-10. A last minute field goal by Matt Stover won the game for the Ravens. Collins indicated after the season that he would like to play in 2009, but only as a starter. Collins replaced Jets quarterback Brett Favre in the 2009 Pro Bowl, after first alternate Philip Rivers pulled out. He re-signed with the Titans on February 27, 2009. His new contract was worth $15 million, with $8.5 million guaranteed over two years.

Collins returned as the team's starting quarterback for the beginning of the 2009 season. In week six the Titans were defeated by the New England Patriots 59-0. After that loss and a 0-6 record on the season, coach Jeff Fisher replaced Collins as starting quarterback with Vince Young, three days before the November 1, 2009 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fisher stated that he was against this decision, saying that the problems with the team were unrelated to quarterback play, but he made the substitution after being urged by Titans owner Bud Adams to do so. The Titans won five straight games with Young as quarterback, and later finished the season 8-8.

Collins officially announced his retirement from the NFL on July 7, 2011."

Indianapolis Colts

On August 24, 2011, Collins decided to forgo his retirement plans and agreed with the Indianapolis Colts on a contract deal. Collins was signed as insurance for Peyton Manning, who was recovering from offseason neck surgery. The Colts named Collins the starter for week one, ending Manning's streak of 227 consecutive starts (208 regular season plus 19 playoff games). On October 25, 2011, the Colts placed Collins on injured reserve due to a concussion, ending his season.

On March 8, the Colts officially released Collins from their active roster.

Collins did not re-sign with any team. His 40,922 career passing yards ranks 13th all-time at present, and his 3,487 completions ranks 11th all-time at present.

Awards

• Won the 1994 Maxwell Award (Nation's top college player)
• Won the 1994 Davey O'Brien Award (Nation's top college quarterback)
• Selected to the NFL Pro Bowl following the 1996 season.
• Selected to the NFL Pro Bowl following the 2008 season.

Career statistics

Regular season

				Passing									Rushing
Season	Team	League		GP	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	INT	Rtg		Att	Yds	TD
1995	Carolina	NFL		15	214	432	49.5	2,717	14	19	61.9		42	74	3
1996	Carolina	NFL		13	204	364	56.0	2,454	14	9	79.4		32	38	0
1997	Carolina	NFL		13	200	381	52.5	2,124	11	21	55.7		26	65	1
1998	Carolina	NFL		4	76	162	46.9	1,011	8	5	70.8		7	40	0
1998	New Orleans	NFL		7	94	191	49.2	1,202	4	10	54.5		23	113	1
1999	NYG	NFL		10	191	332	57.5	2,316	8	11	73.3		19	36	2
2000	NYG	NFL		16	311	529	58.8	3,610	22	13	83.1		41	65	1
2001	NYG	NFL		16	327	568	57.6	3,764	19	16	77.1		39	73	0
2002	NYG	NFL		16	335	545	61.5	4,073	19	14	85.4		44	-3	0
2003	NYG	NFL		13	284	500	56.8	3,110	13	16	70.7		17	49	0
2004	Oakland	NFL		14	289	513	56.3	3,495	21	20	74.8		16	36	0
2005	Oakland	NFL		15	302	565	53.5	3,759	20	12	77.3		17	39	1
2006	Tennessee	NFL		4	42	90	46.7	549	1	6	42.3		0	0	0
2007	Tennessee	NFL		6	50	82	61.0	531	0	0	79.9		3	-3	0
2008	Tennessee	NFL		16	242	415	58.3	2,676	12	7	80.2		25	49	0
2009	Tennessee	NFL		7	119	216	55.1	1,225	6	8	65.5		11	15	1
2010	Tennessee	NFL		10	160	278	57.6	1,823	14	8	82.2		10	1	0
2011	Indianapolis	NFL		3	48	98	49.0	481	2	1	65.9		2	-1	0
Regular season totals				198	3,487	6,261	55.7	40,922	208	196	73.8		374	686	10

Playoffs

				Passing								Rushing
Season	Team	League		GP	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	INT		Att	Yds	TD
1996	Carolina	NFL		2	31	59	52.5	315	3	3		7	4	0
2000	NYG	NFL		3	56	98	57.1	622	5	6		14	26	0
2002	NYG	NFL		1	29	43	67.4	342	4	1		0	0	0
2008	TEN	NFL		1	29	42	61.9	281	0	1		1	0	0
Playoff totals				7	145	242	59.7	1,560	12	11		22	30	0

Major League Baseball Draft

Collins was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 26th round of the 1990 MLB draft, but opted to attend Penn State. Detroit selected him in the 60th round of the 1991 amateur draft, but he did not sign with the club. He was again selected in the 48th round of the 1994 amateur draft by the Toronto Blue Jays but again did not sign.

Personal

Battles with alcoholism

Before the 1997 season got underway, Collins' private battle with alcoholism started to make public headlines. In a highly publicized incident, on the last night of Carolina Panthers training camp in 1997, Collins used the racial slur "nigger" in reference to black teammate Muhsin Muhammad while in a drunken state at a bar in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Supposedly, Collins also inadvertently slurred offensive lineman Norberto Garrido, who is of Hispanic descent. It was widely rumored that Garrido punched Collins in the eye as a result, although this was later proven false. A Tom Collins variant named after Kerry was popularized in Fayetteville, North Carolina following this incident.

On November 2, 1998, Collins was arrested for drunk driving in Charlotte, North Carolina. He finished the 1998 season in New Orleans and signed with the New York Giants as a free agent on February 19, 1999. Not long after signing with New York, Collins decided to seek treatment for his alcoholism. He entered a rehabilitation clinic in Topeka, Kansas.

While a member of the New York Giants, Collins remained in therapy for four years. As a member of the Tennessee Titans, he readdressed the 1997 racial slur incident, explaining that "The guys were talking to each other that way, and I was trying to be funny and thought I could do it, too. I was so upset by it. It was bad judgment. I could have been labeled a racist for the rest of my career. I had to live with the way I used that word with a teammate. Extremely poor judgment. I was naïve to think I could use that word in any context."

Charity

Throughout his career, Collins had been one of the NFL's most charitable players. Immediately upon signing his rookie contract with the Carolina Panthers, he donated $250,000 to the Penn State athletic department to permanently endow the quarterback position. He has donated over two million dollars to charities such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Harlem Boys Choir. In 2001, Collins donated $120,000 to Manhattan's Ladder 5/Engine 24 Family Relief following the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center.

Through the KC for Kids Fund of the Kerry Collins Foundation, Collins has donated more than $500,000 for the renovation of the NYU Medical Center's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation. Previously Collins donated $100,000 to the Institute, to establish the Kerry M. Collins Computer Center and Classroom, with specially modified equipment for children with disabilities.

During the 2005 season, Collins pledged $1,000 for every touchdown he threw and every game the Raiders won to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief fund. On March 24, 2006, Collins was honored by The Second Mile Foundation in recognition of his commitment to others.

Family

Collins and his wife, Brooke, have a daughter named Riley (age 11). Riley is homeschooled and they take her on family trips to places around the world (recently visiting Ireland, Timbuktu, New South Wales, and Ghana) as a part of her curriculum. Kerry also has two nephews that are twins, Jackson and Parker Smith.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]