If there was any standout player for Houston Texans after Stroud and Anderson Jr. this season, it has to be Nico Collins. Nico’s journey started at the University of Michigan, where he had a breakout sophomore season with 38 receptions for 632 yards and 6 touchdowns marking his arrival. Trust me a better thing happened to him there, and it wasn’t football.

Yep, Nico isn’t just about football. Off the field, he’s got a partner who’s just as impressive. Ever wonder who’s the lucky lady cheering him on from the sidelines? Stick around, because you’re about to find out all about the amazing woman in Nico’s life. Who has been with him even before his debut and is still cheering for him.

Who is the Texans WR’s girlfriend?

Collins is dating Samantha Catherine Roy, popularly known as Sam. She’s from Chesterfield, Michigan, and started gymnastics back in 2012. She trained at Hunts’ Gymnastics Academy and was a standout performer. When she got to the University of Michigan, she continued to be in the women’s gymnastics team. There she earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and the U-M Academic Achievement Award. Some matches just look perfect, especially an athletic couple.

Even after retiring from gymnastics before the 2018-19 school year, she stayed involved with the sport by helping the team as a student assistant coach. She played a big role in their success, including winning the 2019 Big Ten Championship. Sam graduated with a degree in neuroscience in May 2020 and is now training to become an acupuncturist. Sam is also a mental health advocate, co-founding the Student-Athlete Sexual Health (S.A.S.H.) initiative to support athletes. No wonder having an athlete partner makes you more aware of the problems faced by them. But how did this duo come together?

When did Nico Collins get into a relationship?

Sam and Collins crossed paths in September 2020. And the story of course was all about sports. The University of Michigan was where the duo met for the first time. Nico was on the football team while Sam was into gymnastics. Since then it has been 4 years of a lovely relationship. We’ve to say having a partner who comes from the same field helps a lot. Mutual understanding is what helps them grow.

But one problem the couple will not face for sure, is a financial crunch. Yeah, the Texans have extended the WR’s contract till 2027, making the couple financially secure. But Collins has different challenges ahead. The Cheifs dominated the Texans with 23-14, a tough loss, ending their journey this season. Adding insult to ‘injury’, Collins suffered a hamstring injury, which raised some concerns about his playing status for the game against the Chiefs. Eventually, he played and had 7 receptions for 60 yards.

Not only this, Collins had 68 receptions for 1,006 yards and 7 touchdowns in the 2024 season. He’s been consistently making big plays and has even set a franchise playoff record. The WR had 122 receiving yards in a recent game against the Los Angeles Chargers. So even after this hard elimination, Collins will go into the next season with confidence.