Colby Parkinson

Colby John Parkinson was born on January 8, 1999, in San Ramon, California. He attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California, where he excelled in both football and basketball. During his junior football season in 2015, Parkinson recorded 24 receptions for 289 yards and four touchdowns. His performance led to a commitment to play college football at Stanford University in December of the same year. As a highly-rated recruit, Parkinson continued to demonstrate his athletic ability throughout high school, including participation in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Parkinson’s collegiate career at Stanford University spanned from 2017 to 2019. In his freshman year (2017), he played in all 14 games, tallying 10 catches for 97 yards and four touchdowns. His sophomore season in 2018 was particularly noteworthy; he started nine of 13 games, securing 29 receptions for 485 yards and seven touchdowns. A significant achievement during this period was tying Stanford’s single-game record for most tight end touchdowns with four against Oregon State on November 10, 2018, where he also amassed 166 receiving yards. He earned an All-Pac-12 Conference honorable mention for his efforts. In his junior year (2019), Parkinson had his most productive season in terms of receptions and yards, with 48 catches for 589 yards and one touchdown, earning him Second-team All-Pac-12 honors and a semifinalist spot for the John Mackey Award. Following this season, he declared for the NFL Draft.

Colby Parkinson was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft as the 133rd overall pick. After navigating injuries during his initial years, including a broken foot in 2021, Parkinson established himself, scoring his first NFL touchdown in Week 1 of the 2022 season against the Denver Broncos. He concluded the 2022 season with 25 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns across 17 games. In 2023, he continued to contribute with 25 receptions for 247 yards and two touchdowns. On March 14, 2024, Parkinson signed a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams, valued at up to $22.5 million. In his first season with the Rams (2024), he set a career-high with 30 receptions for 294 yards and one touchdown, and also recorded a receiving touchdown in the Divisional Round loss to the Eagles.