Kerry Michael Collins (born December 29, 1972 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State, where he was a Heisman Trophy finalist during his senior season in 1994.
Playing career
Penn State and the Carolina Panthers
Kerry Collins played college football at Penn State University, where he earned few awards. As quarterback, he was named All American in 1994 by the Associated Press, United Press International, The Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Walter Camp 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 No. 3 in Penn State annals and is one of only three quarterbacks to top 5,000 yards through the air. Through his passion and leadership, the 1994 Nittany Lions completed an undefeated season, the fifth under coach Joe Paterno, capped by a Rose Bowl championship over Oregon. His team was awarded the NCAA Division I-A national football championship by the New York Times.

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.
Battles with alcoholism
Before the 1997 season got underway, Collins' private battle with alcoholism started to make public headlines. Collins threw 21 interceptions during the 1997 season and the Panthers finished 7-9, just one season after advancing to the NFC Championship. Collins was placed on waivers by Carolina during the 1998 season and subsequently signed by the New Orleans Saints. On November 2, 1998 Collins was arrested for drunk driving in Charlotte, North Carolina. He finished the 1998 campaign in New Orleans and signed with the New York Giants as a free agent on February 19, 1999.
Offensive Language/Drunken Incident
In a highly publicized incident, on the last night of Carolina Panthers training camp in 1997 Collins used the word nigger in reference to Black teammate Muhsin Muhammad while in a drunken state at a bar in Spartanburg, SC. Supposedly, Collins also inadvertently slurred offensive lineman Norberto Garrido, who is of Hispanic descent. This resulted in Collins being punched in the eye by Davidds-Garrido. Collins has stated that in his intoxicated state he thought the use of the racial epithet would help him and his teammates bond.
Rehabilitation
Not long after signing with New York, Collins decided to seek treatment for his alcoholism. He entered a rehabilitation clinic in Topeka, Kansas. No sooner did Collins get his personal life back on track than his professional career followed. Collins started the 1999 season as the Giants' second-string quarterback, but soon claimed the starting job. 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 (Collins' record was tied in 2002 by then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper). After five seasons, sixty-eight starts and 16,875 yards in New York, 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.

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 Week 13 loss to the San Diego Chargers. However, he regained his starting job two weeks later 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.

On August 28, 2006, Collins agreed in principle, to a deal of unknown length and money with the Tennessee Titans. After three games, all losses for the Titans, Collins had completed less 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.
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.

Career statistics
Regular season
Passing Rushing
Season Team League GP Comp Att Pct Yds TD INT Att Yds TD
1995 Carolina NFL 15 214 432 49.5 2717 14 19 42 74 3
1996 Carolina NFL 13 204 364 56.0 2454 14 9 32 38 0
1997 Carolina NFL 13 200 381 52.5 2124 11 21 26 65 1
1998 Carolina NFL 4 76 162 46.9 1011 8 5 7 40 0
1998 New Orleans NFL 7 94 191 49.2 1202 4 10 23 113 1
1999 NYG NFL 10 191 332 57.5 2316 8 11 19 36 2
2000 NYG NFL 16 311 529 58.8 3610 22 13 41 65 1
2001 NYG NFL 16 327 568 57.6 3764 19 16 39 73 0
2002 NYG NFL 16 335 545 61.5 4073 19 14 44 -3 0
2003 NYG NFL 13 284 500 56.8 3110 13 16 17 49 0
2004 Oakland NFL 14 289 513 56.3 3495 21 20 16 36 0
2005 Oakland NFL 15 289 565 53.5 3759 20 12 17 39 1
Regular season totals 152 2826 5082 55.6 33637 173 166 323 625 9
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
Playoff totals 7 116 200 58.0 1279 12 10 21 30 0
Charity
Throughout his career, Collins has 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 2 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 Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, a children's unit within the NYU Medical Center. Previously Collins donated $100,000 to the Institute, to establish the Kerry M. Collins Computer Center and Classroom, with specially modified equipment for infirmed children.

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.