Fresh off an All-American run at Maryland, Gary Collins landed in Cleveland with high expectations when the team picked him fourth overall in 1962. His rookie season didn't feature a massive passing workload—he managed only 11 catches—because special teams needed him first. Collins immediately stepped in as the starting punter, establishing a dual role that peaked in 1965 when he topped the entire NFL with a 46.7-yard punting average.

The real offensive spark came in 1963. Collins grabbed 43 passes and paced the league with 13 receiving touchdowns, becoming Frank Ryan’s favorite target in tight quarters. That set up his iconic performance a year later in the 1964 NFL Championship Game against the Baltimore Colts. After a scoreless first half, Collins took over the game, catching three touchdown passes to break things open and power Cleveland to a 27-0 championship victory while earning game MVP honors.

He kept up that high-level play through the mid-1960s, pulling in back-to-back Pro Bowl selections in 1965 and 1966. Heavy usage eventually caught up to him, however. A severe shoulder injury in 1968 sidelined him for most of that year, though he bounced back with 54 catches and 11 touchdowns in 1969. By 1970, a rash of nagging injuries—particularly painful rib damage—hampered his movement and slashed his production to 26 receptions. He suited up for a final 13 games in 1971 before calling it a career.

When Collins left after ten seasons in Cleveland, he was the franchise's all-time leader with 70 touchdown catches, 331 receptions, 5,299 yards, and nearly 13,800 punting yards. He was inducted into the Cleveland Browns Legends in 2004.