| No. 33, 34 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1959-05-27)May 27, 1959 (age 66) Sanford, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 208 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Penn Yan Academy (Penn Yan, New York) | ||||||||||||||
| College | East Carolina | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1981: 2nd round, 47th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Career Arena League statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Anthony Collins (born May 27, 1959) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL) and theArena Football League (AFL). He played inSuper Bowl XX as a member of theNew England Patriots. He playedcollege football atEast Carolina University.
A speedy and powerful runner, Collins first garnered notoriety in high school as astarter on the 1976 New York State Class B ChampionPenn Yan Academy Mustangs. He grew up with 15 siblings as one of 16 children.
Collins attendedEast Carolina University and was selected in the second round of the1981 NFL draft by theNew England Patriots. Cris Crissy, one of his high school teammates, was also drafted by the Patriots that season.[1][2] Collins was aPro Bowl selection in 1983 and he played inSuper Bowl XX as a member of the Patriots. He signed with theIndianapolis Colts in 1988, but was suspended for the entire season after failing a drug test.[3] His final year in the NFL was in 1990 with theMiami Dolphins. Collins finished his NFL career with 4,647 rushing yards, 261receptions for 2,356 yards, and 44touchdowns in 103 games.
Collins' drug problem began when he became addicted to painkillers after suffering an ankle injury with the Patriots in 1982.[4] After being released from the Dolphins, Collins began using cocaine.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1981 | NWE | 16 | 11 | 204 | 873 | 4.3 | 29 | 7 | 26 | 232 | 8.9 | 22 | 0 |
| 1982 | NWE | 9 | 9 | 164 | 632 | 3.9 | 54 | 1 | 19 | 187 | 9.8 | 33 | 2 |
| 1983 | NWE | 16 | 16 | 219 | 1,049 | 4.8 | 50 | 10 | 27 | 257 | 9.5 | 20 | 0 |
| 1984 | NWE | 16 | 5 | 138 | 550 | 4.0 | 21 | 5 | 16 | 100 | 6.3 | 19 | 0 |
| 1985 | NWE | 16 | 16 | 163 | 657 | 4.0 | 28 | 3 | 52 | 549 | 10.6 | 49 | 2 |
| 1986 | NWE | 16 | 15 | 156 | 412 | 2.6 | 17 | 3 | 77 | 684 | 8.9 | 49 | 5 |
| 1987 | NWE | 13 | 11 | 147 | 474 | 3.2 | 19 | 3 | 44 | 347 | 7.9 | 29 | 3 |
| 1990 | MIA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 103 | 83 | 1,191 | 4,647 | 3.9 | 54 | 32 | 261 | 2,356 | 9.0 | 49 | 12 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1982 | NWE | 1 | 0 | 7 | 35 | 5.0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 |
| 1985 | NWE | 4 | 4 | 35 | 119 | 3.4 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 56 | 7.0 | 11 | 1 |
| 1986 | NWE | 1 | 1 | 5 | 46 | 9.2 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 11.5 | 20 | 0 |
| 6 | 5 | 47 | 200 | 4.3 | 23 | 0 | 13 | 119 | 9.2 | 20 | 1 | ||
In 1991, Collins joined theOrlando Predators of theArena Football League. On July 9, 1991, Collins drove his car into a lake in Orlando in an apparent suicide attempt.[5]
In 1992 Collins continued his arena football career with theCincinnati Rockers and scored nine touchdowns. In 1993, Collins played his last season of arena football with theMiami Hooters.
Collins educates high school athletes and their families on the collegerecruiting process as an educational speaker for the National Collegiate Scouting Association. He hosted an internet radio show,Sports Talk with Touchdown Tony Collins, on the VoiceAmerica Sports Channel. Collins started a foundation in 2007 called "It's for the Kids", which works with disadvantaged youths in theFinger Lakes region ofUpstate New York.[6] He published a book in 2012 entitled,Broken Road: Turning My Mess Into a Message.[7]
Collins' nephew isReggie Branch, who played for theWashington Redskins. Collins and his wife Trudy live nearBaton Rouge, LA.[8]