View source for Neal Colzie

{{Short description|American football player (1953–2001)}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Neal Colzie
| number      = 45, 20
| position    = [[Cornerback]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1953|2|28|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Fitzgerald, Georgia]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|2001|8|20|1953|2|28}}
| death_place = [[Miami]], Florida, U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 2
| weight_lbs  = 200
| high_school = [[Coral Gables Senior High School|Coral Gables Senior]]<br>([[Coral Gables, Florida]])
| college     = [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]]
| draftyear   = 1975
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 24
| teams       =
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ([[1975 NFL season|1975]]–[[1978 NFL season|1978]])
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ([[1979 NFL season|1979]])
* [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] ([[1980 NFL season|1980]]–[[1983 NFL season|1983]])
* [[Orlando Renegades]] ([[1985 USFL season|1985]])
| highlights  =
* [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XI|XI]])
* [[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team|PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team#1975|1975]])
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1974 College Football All-America Team|1974]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1973 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1973]], [[1974 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1974]])
| statlabel1  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue1  = 25
| statlabel2  = [[Kickoff return]]s
| statvalue2  = 7
| statlabel3  = [[Punt return]]s
| statvalue3  = 170
| pfr         = ColzNe20
}}

'''Cornelius Connie''' "'''Neal'''" '''Colzie''' (February 28, 1953  – August 20, 2001) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[cornerback]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State Buckeyes]] and was selected in the first round of the [[1975 NFL draft]] with the 24th overall pick. 

== Early life ==
Born on February 28, 1953, in [[Fitzgerald, Georgia]],<ref name="NFLbio">{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/players/nealcolzie/profile?id=COL820320 |title=Neal Colzie |publisher=[[National Football League]] |access-date=May 23, 2009}}</ref> Colzie was one of six children of Thelma and [[Jim Colzie]]. His father was a [[Negro league baseball]] [[pitcher]]. After attending [[Coral Gables Senior High School]] in [[Coral Gables, Florida]], he played for [[Ohio State University]], where he recorded 15 interceptions and returned 60 punts for 855 yards and two touchdowns.  At the time, his 15 interceptions ranked him fourth in school history, and his 855 punt return yards were a school record.

== Professional career ==
During his nine-season career, Colzie recorded a total of 25 interceptions, which he returned for 412 yards and a touchdown. He also recovered five fumbles, returning them for 42 yards and a touchdown. His best season was in 1981, recording six interceptions for 110 yards and a touchdown, along with one fumble recovery. Colzie also returned seven kickoffs for 130 yards in his career.

Colzie excelled as a [[punt returner]] on special teams. In his first NFL season, he recorded 655 punt return yards, the most ever by an NFL rookie. Overall, Colzie returned 170 punts for 1,759 yards during his career. One of his more notable performances was in the Raiders' 32–14 win over the [[Minnesota Vikings]] in [[Super Bowl XI]]. Colzie recorded four punt returns for a Super Bowl record of 43 yards, including a 25-yard return that set up a Raiders touchdown, and a 12-yard return that set up a field goal. He played in the NFL for the [[Oakland Raiders]] (1975–1978), [[Miami Dolphins]] (1979), and [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] (1980–1983). He also played for the [[Orlando Renegades]] of the [[United States Football League]] (USFL) in 1985.

He was offered a role in the movie " Black Sunday " but turned it down, refusing to wear a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform for the role.

Colzie died on August 20, 2001, in [[Miami]] of a heart attack at the age of 48.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/players.nsf/d38b711701bec86985256bbc0008ce5e/b8d284393c72c0fe85256c350068fed5?OpenDocument Colzie's stats including his special teams return yards]

{{1975 NFL Draft}}
{{Raiders1975DraftPicks}}
{{RaidersFirstPick}}
{{Super Bowl XI}}
{{NFL punt return yards leaders}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colzie, Neal}}
[[Category:American football cornerbacks]]
[[Category:Coral Gables Senior High School alumni]]
[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:Washington Federals/Orlando Renegades players]]
[[Category:People from Fitzgerald, Georgia]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Spring Football League coaches]]