Colin Cole (American football) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Colin Cole

Cole with the Green Bay Packers in 2008
No. 90, 91
Position:	Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born:	(1980-06-24) June 24, 1980 (age 45) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	325 lb (147 kg)
Career information
High school:	South Plantation (Plantation, Florida, U.S.)
College:	Iowa (1999–2002)
Undrafted:	2003
Career history
Minnesota Vikings (2003) Detroit Lions (2003) Green Bay Packers (2004–2008) Seattle Seahawks (2009–2010) Carolina Panthers (2013–2015)
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Big Ten (2002)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 262 Sacks: 5.5 Forced fumbles: 1 Fumble recoveries: 2
Player stats at PFR

Colin Anthony Cole (born June 24, 1980) is a Canadian-American former professional football player. He played as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). His teams included the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers.

Colin was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He played college football at the University of Iowa. There, he was recognized as a top player in 2002. After college, he joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2003.

He later played for the Detroit Lions briefly. From 2004 to 2008, he was with the Green Bay Packers. He then joined the Seattle Seahawks from 2009 to 2010. After a break, he played for the Carolina Panthers from 2013 to 2015. Colin was part of two NFL teams that won playoff games even with losing records. These were the 2010 Seahawks and the 2014 Panthers.

Growing Up and High School Sports

Colin Cole was born in Toronto, Canada, and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When he was younger, he was too big to play youth football.

He played high school football at South Plantation High School. He earned honors as a second-team all-state player. He was also a first-team all-county player. Colin was also a four-year letterman in wrestling. This means he earned a varsity letter for playing well for four years. He had an amazing 23–1 wrestling record in his junior year. He won the state wrestling championship in his senior year. Colin was also a four-time county heavyweight champion. He was a three-time regional champion too.

College Football Career

Colin played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes at the University of Iowa. He played from 1999 to 2002. He was a four-year letterman and started for three years. Early on, he thought about leaving Iowa because he missed home.

In 1999, he played in nine games. He missed two games due to an injury. In his second year, he started 11 out of 12 games. In 2001, his junior year, he received an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten team. For his senior season in 2002, he changed from defensive end to defensive tackle. He was named first-team All-Big Ten. That year, he made 85 tackles and nine sacks. He was also a defensive co-captain in 2002.

During his college career, Colin played in 46 games and started 36. He made 213 tackles, 23 sacks, and caused three fumbles. He also recovered three fumbles. He earned a degree in African American Studies.

Playing in the NFL

Starting His Professional Journey

After college, Colin was invited to the Senior Bowl. This is a game where top college players show their skills. He didn't play his best there. His weight had increased, and he felt tired quickly. He also performed well at Iowa's pro day. This is where NFL teams watch players train. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds. Some experts thought he would be picked in the sixth round of the NFL draft.

Time with the Vikings and Lions

Colin signed with the Minnesota Vikings on May 2, 2003. This was after the 2003 NFL draft, where he was not chosen. He was on the team's main roster for two games but did not play. He also spent some time on their practice squad.

Later in 2003, he joined the Detroit Lions. He was signed because another player was injured. However, he did not play in any games for the Lions either. He was released by the Lions in September 2004.

Playing for the Green Bay Packers

Colin joined the Green Bay Packers' practice squad in September 2004. He was moved to the main team in November 2004. He played in the last three games of the season. He even started his first NFL game in the season finale. In 2004, he made seven tackles.

In 2005, he played in all 16 games and started four. He made 39 tackles and two sacks. He signed with the Packers again in 2006. He played in 15 games, starting three, and made 38 tackles and one sack. In 2007, he played in seven games before getting injured. He broke his forearm and was placed on injured reserve. In 2008, he played in all 16 games but did not start any. He made 30 tackles and half a sack. After the 2008 season, he became a free agent.

Joining the Seattle Seahawks

Cole with the Seattle Seahawks in 2009

On March 1, 2009, Colin signed a five-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks. This was a big deal because he hadn't started many games recently. In 2009, he played in all 16 games and started a career-high 15 games. He made 48 tackles and recovered one fumble. The Seahawks finished that season with a 5–11 record.

In 2010, he played in 11 games, starting all of them. He made 44 tackles and one sack. He missed five games due to an ankle injury. The Seahawks finished 7–9 but won their division. Colin started two playoff games for the Seahawks. He was released by the team in September 2011.

Time with the Carolina Panthers

After not playing in the NFL since 2010, Colin signed with the Carolina Panthers on February 7, 2013. He reportedly contacted the team himself to get a chance. He started as a backup but became a starter after another player got injured. He played in 15 games, starting 13, and made 15 tackles and one sack. The Panthers finished the 2013 season with a 12–4 record.

In 2014, he signed another one-year deal with the Panthers. He played in all 16 games, starting 10. He made 28 tackles and recovered one fumble. The Panthers finished 7–8–1 but won their division. Colin played in two playoff games that season. In 2015, he signed with the Panthers again. He played in two games before being released in September 2015.

Colin Cole was part of two special NFL teams. These were the only teams in NFL history to win playoff games even though they had losing records. These teams were the 2010 Seattle Seahawks and the 2014 Carolina Panthers.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Life After Football

During his time in the NFL, Colin Cole started a company called The Cole Group, LLC. This company was created to help high school athletes pursue college sports. Later, the company grew to organize special events. These events were for professional athletes, non-profit groups, and other businesses.

Colin also served as a player representative for the NFLPA. This is the National Football League Players Association. On October 24, 2008, his football jersey number was retired by South Plantation High School. This is a special honor for a former student.