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VANCOUVER — Austin Collie’s pro football career is finished.
Collie informed the BC Lions, the Canadian Football League team under whom he is currently under contract, of his intentions to retire, the team announced Wednesday.
The 30-year-old native of Hamilton, Ontario, signed a two-year contract with the Lions after five years in the NFL with three different teams, mostly with the Indianapolis Colts.
Collie caught 43 passes for 439 yards and seven touchdowns in one injury-shortened season in the CFL for the Lions, who finished 7-11 and a third-place finish in the league.
Since being placed on season-ending injured reserve by the Lions a year ago, Collie has lived in South Jordan and worked with the company Cognitive FX, which strives to promote concussion and head injury awareness as one of the most advanced concussion treatment centers in the world.
One of BYU’s all-time leading receivers, Collie finished his collegiate career with school and Mountain West Conference records of 30 touchdowns and 3,255 receiving yards. He was a fourth-round selection by the Colts, where he teamed up with Peyton Manning to catch 60 balls for 676 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2009.
But injuries shortened his NFL career, and he played in just one game with the Colts in 2012 due to several concussions. He signed with the New England Patriots in 2013, but played in just seven games and registered six catches for 63 yards before making the move north of the border. He played briefly with the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad, as well, but did not see any first-team time.
Collie finished his five-year NFL career with 1,908 yards and 16 touchdowns on 179 catches.
Collie's retirement leaves the Lions with four national receivers on the roster in Shawn Gore, Marcu Iannuzzi, Stephen Adekolu and Derek Yachison.
