Did Cris Collinsworth try too hard to stay neutral on the key holding call against Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson with 1:47 remaining in Super Bowl LVI?
Collinsworth, whose entire eight-year NFL career was played with the Bengals, may have been concerned with appearing too biased on a call that virtually everyone watching thought was incorrect based on replay evidence. Wilson had his hands on Cooper Kupp, yet didn’t push, pull, or grab him in any way that would prevent the Los Angeles Rams receiver from making the catch.
Instead of a fourth down with the game’s outcome at stake, the penalty gave the Rams a first down and the opportunity to score the eventual winning touchdown. But despite what appeared to be a terrible call that would cost the Bengals a loss, Collinsworth refused to criticize the officials or say what was obvious to everyone.
Asked by Al Michaels if he saw a penalty on the replay, Collinsworth said, “That’s what they called.”
For viewers accustomed to color analysts providing some analysis and commentary, it was a surprising concession from Collinsworth. Even if his tone may have conveyed what he really thought, Collinsworth didn’t give the audience his actual view on the play.
On 670 The Score’s Bernstein & Rahimi show Tuesday morning, Dan Bernstein asked The Athletic’s sports media critic Richard Deitsch if Collinsworth was “overcompensating” to make sure no “Bengal-ness could be pinned on him” and appear biased for his former team.
“I agree with you 100 percent,” Deitsch responded. “I think in his head or in his subconscious, he’s absolutely guarding against being accused of bias for the Bengals. And that’s why I think he sort of was very abrupt in what he had to say.”
“I do think broadcasters at that level, doing national games… really go above and beyond to try to show neutrality.”
As both Bernstein and Deitsch pointed out, Collinsworth was in a tough spot there. He surely has affection toward the Bengals organization, but didn’t want to show it in his analysis. Would Bengals fans be more satisfied if Collinsworth said the holding call was awful, maybe one of the worst he’s ever seen, if he wanted to add some color? Maybe, but it surely would have been no consolation for losing the Super Bowl.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
