About Jim Colclough
Lived 1936 – 2004 (aged 68). Jim Colclough was an American american football player and canadian football player.
James Michael Colclough (March 31, 1936 – May 16, 2004) was an American football flanker-split end, member of the original Boston Patriots team in the American Football League (AFL) and later head coach of the Division III Boston State College football team. Known as Coleslaw, a spin off his last name, Colclough played college football at Boston College, one season as a defensive back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes in 1959 and nine more with the Patriots from 1960 to 1968, including the AFL's inaugural 1960 season.
In 2009, Colclough was named to the Patriots' 1960s All-Decade Team. His 17.7-yards average per reception ranks third in franchise history and his 39 touchdown catches are fourth on its all-time list.
Among receivers, Colclough was one of the premier deep threats in Patriots history. His ten receptions for touchdowns and 21.7 yards per reception in 1962 earned him a spot on the East Division All-Star team. His career highlights included a seven-reception, 142-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 45-17 romp over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 16, 1961 at Nickerson Field. Overall, he had 283 receptions for 5,001 yards and 39 touchdowns in his AFL career.
In 1970, Colclough partnered with two of the most eligible bachelors in professional sports, Derek Sanderson of the NHL's Boston Bruins and Joe Namath of the NFL's New York Jets, as proprietors of the popular "Bachelors III" dating bar in downtown Boston.
After retirement as a player, Colclough served as the head coach at Boston State College in the 1978 and 1979 campaigns. Under his tutelage, the Warriors compiled a 10–8 record in the New England Football Conference (currently Commonwealth Coast Football). In his first season, they were NEFC co-champions with a 6–2 record (6–3 overall).
Colclough died on May 16, 2004, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston from complications of hepatitis C.
AFL career statistics Legend Led the league Bold Career high
Regular season Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1960 BOS 14 14 49 666 13.6 61 9 1961 BOS 14 13 42 757 18.0 58 9 1962 BOS 14 14 40 868 21.7 78 10 1963 BOS 14 14 42 693 16.5 56 3 1964 BOS 14 6 32 657 20.5 59 5 1965 BOS 14 9 40 677 16.9 41 3 1966 BOS 14 1 16 284 17.8 32 0 1967 BOS 14 7 14 263 18.8 52 0 1968 BOS 14 4 8 136 17.0 44 0 Career 126 82 283 5,001 17.7 78 39
Playoffs Year Team Games Receiving GP GS Rec Yds Avg Lng TD 1963 BOS 2 2 4 35 8.8 10 0 Career 2 2 4 35 8.8 10 0
Head coaching record
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Important facts
People in Jim Colclough's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jim Colclough's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jim Colclough?
American football player (1936-2004)
When was Jim Colclough born?
Jim Colclough was born on 31 March 1936 in Medford.
When did Jim Colclough die?
Jim Colclough died on 16 May 2004 in Boston.
What was Jim Colclough's occupation?
Jim Colclough was an american football player and canadian football player.
What nationality was Jim Colclough?
Jim Colclough was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Colclough. https://biography.guide/jim-colclough/
MLA: "Jim Colclough." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-colclough/.
Chicago: "Jim Colclough." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-colclough/.
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