Melanie Collins is a sports reporter with experience on the sidelines for CBS Sports who has quickly risen to a prominent role in NFL coverage. So, for those who don’t know: who is she?

Melanie Collins’ professional career

Collins began her career as a broadcast and journalism student at Penn State University. After graduating, she worked hard covering multiple Penn State teams to gain as much experience as possible.

She worked with the football, basketball and baseball teams and gained valuable insight into sports reporting that opened up opportunities for her. She also credits her time as an intern at WPSU-TV collecting statistics and at AccuWeather for helping her gain the skills she needs to succeed in a challenging field.

She is now a prominent figure on CBS Sports’ NFL broadcasts, conducting post-game sideline interviews with some of the biggest names in sports to add perspective to the at-home viewing experience.

“He’s a goat. BEST QB IN THE LEAGUE. Stop playing with him, man.”

– Derrick Henry chimed in on Lamar’s interview to deliver a message | @Melanie_Collins | @Ravens pic.twitter.com/Ni4kccMRqb

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 6, 2024

“We don’t end things with a field goal – we end things with a touchdown.”

– Tua Tagovailoa on what he said before @MiamiDolphins‘ Final journey (🎤 @Melanie_Collins) pic.twitter.com/m2ee1HixL9

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 8, 2024

From time to time, she is also a special guest on SportsNation on ESPN to provide weekly insight into the NFL from someone close to the game.

The personal life of Melanie Collins

Collins is the daughter of a doctor and a surgeon and has two brothers. The Collins family lives in Pennsylvania. One of her brothers, Kurt, played hockey at Penn State.

While she covered seemingly every other sport at Penn State, she is a huge hockey fan and is romantically involved with former Nashville Predators forward James Neal. The two have been together since 2015 and are the proud owners of two pit bulls named Onyx and Cosmo.

A reporter’s job is not easy because you have to be able to analyze the game, notice the little things and be ready when your name is called to go on air. Collins excelled in these areas, making her one of the most prominent NFL sideline reporters in the game today.

A notable moment in Collins’ career was when she interviewed Kobe Bryant, her first in-game interview. Needless to say, it was an experience for the ages and one she cherishes to this day.

The game won’t be the same without this guy. #Kobe pic.twitter.com/dVPc3lieDg

— Melanie Collins (@Melanie_Collins) November 30, 2015

Between her roles at CBS Sports, the Golf Channel, and her personal entrepreneurial endeavors, she has amassed a net worth estimated at $6 million to $8 million over the course of her career to date.

Collins will be part of Netflix’s Christmas broadcast of the NFL on Christmas Day.