Jackson Native Glen Collins amongst seven stars inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame

By Jackie Hampton,
Publisher,

Jackson Native, Glen Leon Collins, along with six other stars were inducted into The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl, MS. There was a 5:30 p.m. reception followed by a 7 p.m. dinner and recognition program.

Inductee Collins was incredibly pleased to be surrounded by many of his family members for this special occasion. He is a 1978 graduate of Jim Hill High School in Jackson, MS, where he was named the Mississippi High Schools All-Star Game MVP.

After graduating from Jim Hill, Collins attended Mississippi State University where he played defensive lineman. In 1983, he was selected to the first round of the NFL draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Collins enjoyed a five-year NFL career that included time with the San Francisco 49ers. The Jackson native was named SEC Football Legend in 2013 and selected to Mississippi State’s All-Century Team in 2014.

In an interview with The Mississippi Link, Collins said, “It is a great honor for me to have been inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame. I grew up around football and have been a sports fanatic since I was a kid.

He spoke of guys he admired in sports like Walter Peyton, Robert Brazille, and Jackie Slayter, adding that when playing football in junior high, high school, and college, he wore Jersey #79 because that is the number Slayter wore. Collins said when he went to college, that number was already taken.

While growing up around Jackson State University, he said Robert Brazille was like a dad to him. “He even spanked me when I did something I should not have,” Collins added.

In his retirement, he is enjoying watching the achievements of his three children and three grandchildren. He is proud of the legacy he will leave through them.

Other celebrated 2026 inductees were:
Louis Guy, an All-SEC performer at Ole Miss, who went on to play professionally with the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders;

Michael Haddix, a two-time All-SEC running back at Mississippi State and the 8th overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft;

Bobby Halford, the longtime William Carey University baseball coach who accumulated more than 1,300 career wins;

Ronnie Mayers, a legendary swimming and diving coach and later athletic director at Delta State University who led his teams to 11 conference titles, 15 NCAA championship appearances, and produced 56 All-Americans;

Johnny Parker, a pioneer in strength and conditioning, coached for 35 years at the college and professional levels, winning three Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneer, and
Brittney Reese, one of the most decorated athletes in Mississippi history. She is a four-time Olympian and seven-time world champion in the long jump. Gulfport, MS native, remains among the greatest long jumpers in world history.