Cris Collinsworth Faces Accusations of Favoring Josh Allen After Bills' Comeback
Social media users criticized the NBC color commentator’s enthusiastic calls during Buffalo’s rally against Baltimore at Highmark Stadium.
NBC color commentator Cris Collinsworth drew widespread criticism on social media after his calls during the Buffalo Bills' 15-point comeback against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.
Viewers took issue with Collinsworth's tone and reactions during a sequence in which Bills quarterback Josh Allen evaded pressure near his own end zone and completed a pass to wide receiver Khalil Shakir. Play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico described the action while Collinsworth, who has been part of Sunday Night Football since 2009, was audible on the broadcast making animated noises that some fans characterized as partial.
Reactions on social platforms ranged from amusement to frustration. One user wrote, "Stop giving this man Josh Allen games," while another likened Collinsworth's excitement to that of an overly enthusiastic viewer. Several other posts referenced Collinsworth's history of effusive commentary, noting that he has frequently praised Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on national television.
Collinsworth has been a prominent NFL commentator since the 1990s and joined NBC's Sunday Night Football booth in 2009. His animated style and frequent praise for spectacular plays have drawn attention in past seasons, particularly during games featuring Mahomes. The recent broadcast again reignited conversations about impartiality among national television commentators.
NBC's broadcast team for Sunday night's game included Tirico on play-by-play and Collinsworth as color analyst. The sequence that prompted the strongest reaction occurred when Allen, with his back toward his own end zone and under pressure, flicked the ball to Shakir to extend the Bills' comeback at Highmark Stadium.
The social-media pushback comes as Collinsworth's schedule will again place him on play calls involving high-profile quarterbacks. According to the network slate, Collinsworth is set to call a Bills game in Week 5 when Buffalo hosts the New England Patriots, and he is scheduled to be on the call for two Kansas City Chiefs games during the first six weeks of the season.
Broadcaster enthusiasm and perceived bias have been recurring topics among NFL viewers as national broadcasts increasingly shape the narrative around marquee players and teams. Analysts and commentators often balance providing expert insight with the expectation of impartiality, and fan scrutiny rises when commentary appears strongly favorable to one side.
Neither NBC nor Collinsworth offered an immediate public response to the social-media criticism following Sunday night's broadcast. The Bills' comeback and the reactions to the telecast are likely to remain a talking point among fans as the season progresses and Collinsworth appears again on national telecasts.
Sunday night's game also continued the broader storyline of Josh Allen's role as a central figure for Buffalo after his late-game heroics. The Bills' victory over the Ravens added to a slate of early-season games that have drawn intense national attention, amplifying both on-field plays and the commentary surrounding them.
As national broadcasts feature more prime-time matchups involving high-profile quarterbacks, debate over commentator neutrality and enthusiastic analysis is expected to persist. Collinsworth's next appearances on major broadcasts will likely be watched closely by viewers attentive to tone as well as the action on the field.