Biography of Chris Spielman [Age, Height, Wife, Kids, Family, Salary, Award & Net worth ]

Most NFL fans have heard Chris Spielman behind the microphone calling out outstanding and memorable moments that have been etched into many fan bases' minds. However, not many know about the football player's personal life or his career before broadcasting.

Back in the days, Spielman was one of the best linebackers of his generation with four Pro Bowl appearances to his name. Additionally, the Ohio native is also a College Football Hall of Famer and winner of the Lombardi Trophy.

So, let's get cracking on Chris's journey where we take you through his untold early life stories and to his current broadcasting career.

We have also provided you with details on his salary, net worth, age, height, wife, kids, family, early life, and social media.

Quick Facts

charles christopher spielman was born to his parents, Charles Edward Spielman Jr. and Nancy Spielman. Surprisingly, we could not find much information regarding his parents.

However, we know that Chris grew up with his brother, Rick Spielman, who is the current general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Furthermore, Spielman's cousin, J.D, is also currently playing football for the University of Nebraska.

Talking about Chris's education, he attended Washington High School, where he became a superstar. Among others, Chris won the Dial Award in 1983, which is bestowed upon the best national high-school athlete.

Thereafter, the Ohio native played for his hometown university, Ohio State. During his time there, Spielman truly established himself as probably the best college prospect of his era.

To illustrate, Chris won the prestigious Lombardi Trophy and became the MVP in his senior year and two-time All-American.

Chris Spielman: Career

Having come out of college as one of the top prospects, it came as no surprise when the Detroit Lions drafted Spielman as the 29th overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft.

After that, the Ohio native stayed with the franchise for eight years, establishing himself as a defensive stalwart in the Lion's backline.

Some notable highlights of Detroit's time include becoming the franchise's defensive MVP consecutively in 1993 and 1994. Besides, Chris also became the first player in the Lions' history to lead the team in tackles in seven consecutive seasons.

Additionally, he led his team to two NFC Central titles, four playoffs, and another final appearance, the 1991 NFC Championship game.

Eventually, by the time he finished his career with the Lions, Chris had amassed a record of four interceptions, 30 pass defenses, 10 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, and 17 fumble recoveries.

After that, Spielman got traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he spent two years. Starting in 1996,  Chris did brilliantly for the Bills as he became the franchise's leader in tackles with 206. Sadly, his second season with the team was hampered due to an injury to his neck.

Then, the following season, the Ohio native's wife got diagnosed with breast cancer. As a result, Spielman took a break from the sport to assist his wife. After returning a year later, Chris signed with Cleveland Browns.

But unfortunately, his previous neck injury kept bothering him throughout the season. Therefore, at the end of the 1999 season, Chris officially retired from NFL after 11 years of service.

In an interview, Chris talked about the football game from his point of view. According to Chris,

Football is a direct reflection of life. There are wins; there are losses; you get knocked down, you get back up.

However, Spielman's best moment of his career was yet to come. To explain, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Moreover, Chris was elected in the summer of 2010.

Broadcasting Career

As soon as Chris retired from his playing career in 1999, he was eager to get back on the horse. But, due to his injuries, Chris had to content himself with a spot on the pundits' bench.

Thus, Spielman began his broadcasting career, which has seen him become one of the best announcers of the game.

Initially, Chris started with the ESPN network working as their studio analyst for Fox Sports Net (FSN). After that, he joined ESPN in 2001 and remained with them for a long time. Unfortunately, the exact duration of his stay remains a mystery.

Chris Spielman: Fox Sports

Nevertheless, after working for various sports media agencies, Fox Sports announced that Chris had signed with the company as their play-by-play announcer.

Fox Sports broke the news in 2016. Since then, Spielman has been with the organization appearing in various roles.

Chris Quotes:

“You know the rule. If you're long, you're never wrong.”

Chris Spielman: Career Stats

At the time of writing, Spielman is 56 years of age. Likewise, the Ohio native was born on the 11th of October, making his star sign Libra. And moving onto his nationality, Chris was born in Canton, Ohio. Hence, he holds an American passport.

Moreover, Spielman stands at 6 feet (1.83 m) and weighs 248 lb (112 kg), which might be a little overweight for his body.

Having already retired from his playing career in the NHL a long time ago, the Spielman has earned the right to eat whatever he likes.

However, back in the day, Chris used his body to become one of his generation's best linebackers.

As a matter of fact, the Ohio native made four appearances at the Pro Bowl, a one-off game where only the best players from all the 32 franchises combined to create a spectacle for the fans.

Chris Spielman: Book

Along with a huge success in his football career, Chris has published a book of his own. His book title is named ‘That's Why I'm Here: The Chris and Stefanie Spielman Story.

This book reflects the love life of Chris and his wife Stefanie, who cherishes the growth of their four children.

Likewise, in this book, Chris talks about how his wife Stefanie went through a cancer battle. Spielman started writing the book when his wife Stefanie's cancer was terminal. The book also describes the connection and the time Chris and Stefanie spend together.

Spielman has a respectable huge amount of net worth accrued mainly from his playing career in the NHL and broadcasting career.

Moreover, Chris has been involved in professional football for over three decades. Hence, Chris deserves every penny of his massive net worth.

Cris Net-Worth is Estimated to be around $4 million.

Talking about his salary, Spielman is currently earning a reported $100,000 working as an analyst for Fox NFL.

Although this is just his fourth year with the American broadcasting giants, the Ohio native has been involved in sports media as far back as 1999.

As a matter of fact, Chris started broadcasting for Fox Sports Net as an NFL studio show analyst as soon as he retired from the NFL in 1999. Other than that, Spielman also worked for ESPN for a period of time.

As of now, Spielman is in a loving relationship with his wife, Carrie Yocom. Likewise, the couple tied the knot in 2013 after dating for several years.

Since then, the couple has solidified their marriage with the arrival of their two daughters, Kendra Spielman and Gina Spielman.

However, this is not Chris's first marriage. In fact, the Ohio native was previously married to his late wife, Stefanie Spielman.

Together, the pair had four children, Madison Spielman, Noah Spielman, Macy Speilman, and Audrey Spielman. Unfortunately, Stefanie lost her life to breast cancer on November 19, 2009, after years of battle.

Nevertheless, that is in the past and should be left there. Speaking of now, Chris and his new family currently reside in Upper Arlington, an upscale area that lies in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio.

Chris Spielman Son

On March 22, 2018, Spielmans's son Noah Spielman had his felony charges dropped off after pleading guilty. To emphasize, Noah was charged for his role in a hazing incident at Wheaton College in 2016.

Social Media

Facebook: 14.4k followers

Some FAQs

What is Jersey’s Number of Chris?

Chris wears Jersey Number 36.

When and Why did Chris Spielman retire?

Chris retired in the year 1999 because of a neck injury.

Is Chris Spielman remarried?

Chris lost his first wife Stefanie after she suffered from Cancer. After a few years of Stefanie's death, Chris married Carrie Yocom in 2013.

Is Chris Injured?

During Chris's football career, he suffered from multiple injuries. One of the worst experiences with Chris was when she suffered from a neck injury.

The incident took place in 1997 when Chris had a nasty helmet–to–helmet collision with Bears' Center, Casey Wiegmann. This led Chris to leave on the ground with several minutes of paralysis.

 How long did Chris Spielman play in the NFL?

Chris played for 11 years in NFL.