Cris Collinsworth left fans confused after he made a Matthew Stafford declaration that directly contradicted his broadcast partner Mike Tirico in the Los Angeles Rams' 30-26 loss
Cris Collinsworth calls NFL action form the booth during Seahawks-Patriots
Cris Collinsworth had a strange back and forth with Mike Tirico(Image: NBC/Peacock)
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Cris Collinsworth left fans confused with his comments on a Matthew Stafford sequence that contradicted what his broadcast partner had just said.
The first half of the Rams' 30-26 loss to the Denver Broncos left much to be desired, with Los Angeles holding a 16-0 lead going into halftime. However, Bo Nix and the Broncos exploded for 30 points in the second half, stunning the Rams in a game that came down to the wire.
In the fourth quarter, Stafford was intercepted by Broncos star Talanoa Hufanga, who scored a touchdown, giving Denver the 23-19 lead with 4:49 remaining in the game. It was that moment that led to Collinsworth baffling fans after he contradicted his partner, Mike Tirico.
Immediately after Stafford's pick-six, Tirico stated that no other player in NFL history had more than the 38-year-old, who picked up his 33rd to Hufanga in the aforementioned play. Just seconds after Tirico's declaration, Collinsworth noted that seeing Stafford make those kinds of mistakes is rare.
Fans on social media were left confused by the NBC analyst's comment, with one posting, "Actually you do Cris. Did you just hear what the guy next to you just said!" Another added, "In the same breath, the NBC crew said 'Matthew Stafford has the most pick sixes in NFL history' and 'you do not see Matthew Stafford make mistakes like this very often.'"
A third had a more scathing take on Collinsworth's mishap, commenting, "@SNFonNBC 30 seconds after Mike Tirico says no has thrown more pic sixes in their career than Matt Stafford, Collinsworth says 'you just don’t see Matt Stafford make those mistakes'.. and doubled down and said it again. Get Collinsworth of [sic] the air. Please."
Matthew Stafford (9) of the Los Angeles Rams leads a drive during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, September 27, 2026
Matthew Stafford had an incredible sequence within the span of just minutes against the Denver Broncos(Image: Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
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As it stands, Stafford's latest pick-six pushed him ahead of Brett Favre (32) for most all-time, with Dan Marino (29), Joe Namath (28), Payton Manning (27), and Drew Brees (27) rounding out the top five.
Interestingly, it took Stafford and the Rams just over one minute to regain the lead after throwing it away. With Davante Adams often being shadowed, Los Angeles turned to Konata Mumpfield in the fourth quarter and the wideout responded in turn.
After being sacked at first-and-10, Stafford found Mumpfield for a 21-yard gain, then found him the next time around for a nine-yard gain.
At second-and-1, the star quarterback once again found Mumpfield, this time for a deep pass, leading to a 48-yard touchdown to regain the lead roughly one minute after throwing the egregious pick-six to Hufanga.
In the end, however, the Broncos wound up on top as Bo Nix led a lengthy drive, which culminated in him scoring a one-yard touchdown to give Denver the 30-26 lead after the extra point.
Stafford had one last chance to win the game for the Rams with two seconds left, looking to connect in the endzone with running back Kyren Williams for the victory.
However, it was once again Hufanga who picked off the 38-year-old to seal the game for the Broncos, as the Rams, stunned, continue their rough stretch to start the season.
The Rams will tkae on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, looking to bounce back in a big way.