Colin Thompson has spent time with five teams in three different leagues after going undrafted back in 2017. The 26-year-old tight end's resiliency was rewarded on Sunday, when his first NFL touch went for a 7-yard touchdown during the Panthers' Week 10 game against the Buccaneers. The score gave Carolina an early lead.
Helloooooo @ColinThompsonTU‼️ pic.twitter.com/xwhf313df1
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 15, 2020
A Philadelphia native, Thompson played collegiately at nearby Temple before spending time with the Giants and Bears during his first two NFL seasons. After falling to make Chicago's 53-man roster, Thompson signed with the Birmingham Iron of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football in 2019, helping the Iron go 5-3 before the league folded. That fall, he was selected by the XFL's Tampa Bay Vipers, catching one pass during the season before that league was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April, Thomas was signed by the Panthers, where he was reunited with former Temple coach Matt Rhule along with former Temple teammates P.J. Walker, Robby Anderson and Keith Kirkwood. He failed to make the Panthers' initial 53-man roster but was signed by the team after Kirkwood sustained an injury.
Thompson is currently the Panthers' third string tight end.
