If you talk about billionaire athletes, one name comes up fast: Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls legend now sits on a jaw-dropping $3.8 billion net worth as of 2025. But according to Cris Collinsworth, that picture is not as glossy as fans think. He believes MJ’s fame, along with Patrick Mahomes’, comes with a heavy price.

Collinsworth explained that fame, when it reaches Jordan or Mahomes levels, might not be a blessing. “I always say though, I’m just the right amount of famous, right? Okay. So, I’m just famous. I know the Michael Jordans of the world, that Patrick Mahomes of the world, that looks miserable to me. Miserable.”

But why did Collinsworth feel that way? “Why? They can’t go out of their house. They can’t do anything. I want a little better table at a restaurant. And I was like, ‘Hey, you know, you ever wanted to go to a Sunday night? You know, I can work it a little-bit.’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, yeah. I didn’t recognize you, but I recognize the voice a little-bit. Oh, you’re the guy on Sunday night.’”

Now, it’s not like Collinsworth is knocking success. Patrick Mahomes sits on a net worth of $90 million, while Collinsworth has about $25 million to his name. Sure, he made a solid chunk during his Cincinnati Bengals days, but broadcasting?

That’s where he truly cashed in. In fact, the Cincinnati legend’s voice became his biggest asset.

As a color commentator and TV personality, Cris was earning around $4 million per year. But things changed in December 2021 when NBC decided he was worth much more. He signed a new deal that raised his salary to $12.5 million per year.

For a guy who says he’s “just the right amount of famous,” that sounds like the perfect balance. But being an analyst isn’t easy for him either. However, this is not the only MJ story Collinsworth shared.

Cris Collinsworth reveals Michael Jordan’s favorite NFL team

It’s not every day you hear Cris Collinsworth drop a story about Michael Jordan and the Bengals in the same sentence. But that’s exactly what happened when he revealed MJ actually grew up a Bengals fan back in North Carolina. According to Collinsworth in an NBC event, Jordan was the one who told the truth.

“So I went up and just sat down. Well, another one of my bosses came along. John, he came by and said, ‘Cris, we’ve got a table for you down here.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, OK, you don’t want me sitting (with Michael)? So, I get up and walk down to the table. As soon as I walked away, apparently Michael said to the group, ‘You know, I grew up a Bengals fan back in that era. And we used to watch them all the time,'” Collinsworth said.

But how did MJ become a Bengals fan? There is a possibility.

The Bengals joined the NFL in 1968, and Collinsworth played for Cincy through the ‘80s, when the team made two Super Bowl runs. But Jordan, growing up in North Carolina during the ‘60s and ‘70s, picked the Bengals long before his home state had a team. Remember, the Carolina Panthers didn’t exist until 1995. So that might be the reason.

Whether Jordan still roots for the Bengals today is anyone’s guess. But the story itself? Pure gold. Maybe once MJ steps into his upcoming NBA analyst role with NBC, he’ll share more about it.