NFL star Nico Collins was born to his parents, Don Collins and Saint Lisa, as the youngest of three in Pinson, Alabama, U.S.
Don originally hails from Michigan, but he built his life and family in Alabama. Whereas his mother remains away from the spotlight.
Speaking of the ethnicity, Nico’s parents are African American. However, detailed information about their ethnic background remains concealed.
While the NFL star talks a lot about his parents’ sacrifices and the lessons they gave him, he keeps the major focus on their influence on his life rather than their roots.
Nico Collins comes from a close-knit family that shaped who he is today as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL.
He grew up in a financially challenging household in Pinson, Alabama. Although the money was always tight, his parents’ love and support never ran short for him and his siblings.
They dealt with tough times like going without hot water for days and having very few gifts under the Christmas tree some years. Yet, those challenges brought the family even closer together.
His father, Don Collins, worked as a surgical technologist to make ends meet.
He was very busy with his work to help his family; however, even with that limited time, Don made sure to introduce Nico to football when he was young.
Nico’s mother, who has always preferred to stay out of the public eye, worked in human resources and handled the day-to-day stability at home.
People who know the family, like Nico’s former coaches, often point to both parents as the reason he turned out so grounded, humble, and driven.
Now that Nico has established himself in the NFL scene, he acknowledges his parents’ sacrifices, hard work, and influence on his life.
In a 2023 Go Long interview with Tyler Dunne, Nico expressed his motivation directly, saying:
I want to be the best to do it. I want to make my parents proud. That’s all I really care about. Making them happy. Something they can brag about.
Nico Collins
Nico’s Father, Don Collins, Founded “Fathers of Professional Athletes!“
Don Collins has spent many years working as a surgical technologist in the medical field.
He often took on night shifts to support his family, which meant coming home early in the morning just as his kids were getting up for school, grabbing a few quick moments with them before heading to bed for the next round of work.
Beyond his main career in healthcare, Don has also stepped into something more personal and meaningful in recent years by founding Fathers of Professional Athletes.
Drawing from his own experiences guiding his son Nico through high school football, college recruiting at Michigan, and eventually the 2021 NFL draft with the Houston Texans, he saw how tough and confusing the process can be for families.
High school coaches do their best, but they handle so many players that they can’t give every kid the one-on-one focus needed.
So Don started this organization to help other parents step up, learn the ropes of NCAA rules, build better connections with counselors and coaches, and get the guidance to support their kids both in sports and academics.
He put it simply:
Why should another family have to face the same challenges & lessons we’ve encountered? By sharing knowledge & resources, we can work towards ensuring every student-athlete has the best chance to succeed.
Don Collins
