Marques Colston

Early years

Colston's father, James, played briefly in the Canadian Football League. Marques began playing football at a very young age. James Colston died when Marques was 14. Colston attended Susquehanna Township High School, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was a letterman in football and track. In football, he won All-Conference honors as a wide receiver/defensive end. Colston graduated from Susquehanna Township High School in June 2001.

Also a standout in track & field, Colston lettered three years. He qualified for the 2001 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Outdoor T&F Championships in the javelin, recording a top-throw of 57.03 meters. He was also a member of the Susquehanna 4 × 100 m (42.41 s) relay squad.

College career

Colston received a scholarship offer from the Division I-A University of Missouri but turned the offer down in favor of Division I-AA Hofstra.

Colston had 14 receptions for 335 yards (23.9 avg.) and three touchdowns as a freshman. In 2002, he made 47 grabs for 614 yards (13.06 avg.) and three scores. As a junior in 2003, Colston led the team with 51 receptions for 910 yards (17.8 average) and seven touchdowns. Colston redshirted the 2004 season due to a shoulder injury, but in 2005 was named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team after making a career-high 70 receptions for 976 yards (13.9 avg.) and five touchdowns. In four seasons at Hofstra, Colston appeared in 40 games (37 starts) and recorded 182 catches for a school-record 2,834 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Professional career

Colston declared for the 2006 NFL Draft. He was tipped in many prospect profiles to become a tight end, because of his size and catching ability, but was also predicted to go undrafted. He was selected in the 7th round of the draft, 252nd overall and four spots from the end of the draft, by the New Orleans Saints.

2006 season

After a solid performance at minicamp and the trade of fellow wide receiver Donté Stallworth to the Philadelphia Eagles, Colston was thrust into a week one starting position. He is one of very few seventh round draft picks to start in their teams' first regular season game. Colston became the favorite target of new quarterback Drew Brees. Colston finished the season with 70 receptions, 1,038 yards, and eight touchdowns, including one for 86 yards. He helped the Saints reach the playoffs with a 10-6 record. The Saints beat the Philadelphia Eagles and made it to the NFC Championship Game with the Chicago Bears. Despite Colston scoring a touchdown, the Saints fell 39-14, ending the team's magical season.

Colston tied for second in voting for Offensive Rookie of the Year, behind Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, and with Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. He had more votes than his fellow rookie teammate, the much more celebrated Reggie Bush, who was picked 2nd overall by the Saints. Colston was among the NFC leaders in receptions (70), receiving yards (1,038) and receiving TDs (8). He was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for weeks 8 and 9. He was also named the Offensive Rookie of the Month for October.

2007 season

Against the San Francisco 49ers on the 28th of October 2007, Colston caught a career-high three touchdown passes from Drew Brees and guided the Saints to a victory. For the 2007 season, Colston set a team record for receptions (98), besting the previous mark set by Joe Horn. Colston also tied Horn's record for touchdown receptions in a season (11).

2008 season

On July 23, Colston signed a three-year contract extension with the Saints through the 2011 season. In 2008, Colston suffered a broken thumb after a hit by Ronde Barber on a quick slant pass in the Saints week 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This sidelined Colston for 4 weeks and Lance Moore moved up into the starting receiver position. Two games back from injury, in London against the San Diego Chargers, Colston made a huge 54-yard catch, and was eventually brought down by Antonio Cromartie. He recorded a 70-yard touchdown catch the next week against the Green Bay Packers. This added to the Saints victory over the Packers by a score of 51-29. Colston finished the season with five scores for 760 receiving yards on 47 receptions.

2009 season

On October 18 during a Week 6 game against the New York Giants in a battle of undefeated teams, Colston caught eight receptions for 166 yards, as the Saints topped the Giants 48-27. The game was predicted to be a fair, even game between the Giants and the Saints, who were both undefeated at the time, but the Saints quickly crushed the Giants, gaining 493 yards of total offense and scoring 7 touchdowns, 48 points and topping the 40-point mark for the third time that season. Colston helped the Saints achieve victory in Super Bowl XLIV with 7 receptions for 83 yards in 2009. He scored nine times that season and recorded 1,074 receiving yards.

2010–2012

During the 2010 season, Colston had another solid season with 1,023 receiving yards with 7 touchdowns.

During the 2011 season, Colston continued his productivity on the New Orleans Saints, and caught 80 receptions for 1,143 yards with 8 touchdowns, had a receiving average of 14.3 yards, only lost 2 fumbles, and helped lead the Saints to a 13-3 regular season. Colston had multiple +100-yard receiving games, which occurred during Week 6, Week 10, Week 14 (Game 13), Week 17 (Game 16) and the first playoff game during the Wild Card Round against the Detroit Lions on January 7, 2012.

On March 13, 2012, Colston signed a 5-year, $40 million contract extension with the Saints. On October 7, 2012, Colston broke Joe Horn's record for most touchdown catches by a Saints wide receiver, catching three touchdowns to make 52 for his career. On November 11, 2012, he tied Deuce McAllister's team record for total touchdowns with his 55th career touchdown.

2013 season

In the opening game of the 2013 season, a 23-17 win over Atlanta, Colston became the Saints' all-time leader in pass receptions when he caught a second quarter touchdown pass for the 533rd catch (and 59th touchdown) of his career. In the Saints' tenth game of the season, a 23-20 home win against San Francisco, Colston passed Eric Martin to become the all-time franchise leader in receiving yards and yards from scrimmage. Colston finished the regular season with 75 receptions for 943 yards and 5 touchdowns in 15 games.

In the Saints' divisional round playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, Colston led all receivers with 11 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, the touchdown coming with 26 seconds remaining in the game to bring the Saints (who had trailed the entire game) within 8 points; he then recovered the ensuing onside kick, giving the Saints a slim chance to tie the game. On the ensuing drive, Brees spiked the ball to stop the clock, then found Colston near the sideline. Instead of stepping out of bounds to stop the clock and give the Saints a chance at a last-second Hail Mary pass to the end zone, Colston went ahead with the play as it had been called, which required him to throw a lateral pass across the field to Travaris Cadet. However, Colston's throw went forward and was ruled an illegal forward pass; the 10-second runoff attached to the penalty used up the clock, sealing a 23-15 victory for Seattle.

2014–2015

In 2014, Colston caught 59 passes for 902 yards and five touchdowns as the Saints would miss the playoffs.

In 2015, Colston caught 45 passes for 520 yards and four touchdowns, all career-lows. He was released by the Saints after the season. He did not sign with a team for the 2016 season.

Saints franchise records

Personal life

Colston was the majority owner of his hometown Harrisburg Stampede who played in American Indoor Football and the Professional Indoor Football League. In 2014, he bought a share of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. Colston has pursued an executive MBA program at George Washington University and he has made a series of investments in startup companies operating in the health and sports sectors.

In 2010, Colston bought a home in Luling, Louisiana.