Wilbert Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Wilbert Montgomery is a former American football
player in the National Football League
for nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles
and Detroit Lions
. He is currently the running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens
.
, Montgomery was a four-year starter at running back and set the all-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
record for touchdowns with 76. Montgomery broke the record for touchdowns by a freshman with 37 and helped lead the Wildcats to the NAIA
Division I National Championship in 1973.
by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft
. Wearing number 31, Montgomery played eight seasons with Philadelphia, shattering almost all of the Eagles' rushing records and leading the club in rushing six times. Montgomery, who concluded his NFL career with the Detroit Lions
in 1985, holds seven Philadelphia rushing records, including career attempts (1,465), rushing yards (6,538), attempts in a season (338 in 1979), rushing yards in a season (1,512 in 1979), career 100-yard rushing games (26), 100-yard rushing games in a season (8 in 1981), and touchdowns in a game (4). In 1979, Montgomery led the NFL with 2,012 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, returns). Over his NFL career, he accumulated 6,789 yards rushing, 2,502 receiving, 814 kickoff return yards, 57 touchdowns (45 rushing, 12 receiving, 1 kickoff return), and two Pro Bowl
invitations (1978–79).
' coaching staff as running backs coach in 1997. In 2004, Montgomery’s coaching ran the gamut, from Pro Bowl
running back Marshall Faulk
, to young and talented rookie Steven Jackson
. Under Montgomery’s leadership, Faulk moved into 12th place on the NFL’s rushing yardage list, and Jackson finished third in the NFL
among rookie running backs.
At the 2002 NFC
Championship game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and Philadelphia Eagles
, Montgomery was the Eagles’ honorary captain at Veterans Stadium
, and introduced to a thunderous ovation prior to the game.
, Mississippi
, and one of four brothers (also Fred, Cleotha, and Tyrone) who played in the NFL. Montgomery earned the Abilene Christian University
Alumni Citation Award in 1979, was inducted onto the inaugural Philadelphia Eagles
Honor Roll in 1987, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1996.
Montgomery and his wife Patti have three children, twins, Briana and Brendan, and a son, Tavian. Montgomery also has a daughter, Sherrita, and a son Derron, who is a wide receiver
for the Iowa State Cyclones.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He is currently the running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
.
College
An outstanding athlete at Abilene Christian UniversityAbilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
, Montgomery was a four-year starter at running back and set the all-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
record for touchdowns with 76. Montgomery broke the record for touchdowns by a freshman with 37 and helped lead the Wildcats to the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Division I National Championship in 1973.
NFL
Montgomery was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft
1977 NFL Draft
The 1977 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1977...
. Wearing number 31, Montgomery played eight seasons with Philadelphia, shattering almost all of the Eagles' rushing records and leading the club in rushing six times. Montgomery, who concluded his NFL career with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in 1985, holds seven Philadelphia rushing records, including career attempts (1,465), rushing yards (6,538), attempts in a season (338 in 1979), rushing yards in a season (1,512 in 1979), career 100-yard rushing games (26), 100-yard rushing games in a season (8 in 1981), and touchdowns in a game (4). In 1979, Montgomery led the NFL with 2,012 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, returns). Over his NFL career, he accumulated 6,789 yards rushing, 2,502 receiving, 814 kickoff return yards, 57 touchdowns (45 rushing, 12 receiving, 1 kickoff return), and two Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
invitations (1978–79).
NFL
Montgomery is in his sixth season coaching running backs, and his third straight in the position, after coaching tight ends from 2000-02. Montgomery joined the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
' coaching staff as running backs coach in 1997. In 2004, Montgomery’s coaching ran the gamut, from Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
running back Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
, to young and talented rookie Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson
Steven Rashad Jackson is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Rams 24th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State University....
. Under Montgomery’s leadership, Faulk moved into 12th place on the NFL’s rushing yardage list, and Jackson finished third in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
among rookie running backs.
At the 2002 NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
Championship game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Montgomery was the Eagles’ honorary captain at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, and introduced to a thunderous ovation prior to the game.
Personal
Montgomery is a native of GreenvilleGreenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, and one of four brothers (also Fred, Cleotha, and Tyrone) who played in the NFL. Montgomery earned the Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
Alumni Citation Award in 1979, was inducted onto the inaugural Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
Honor Roll in 1987, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1996.
Montgomery and his wife Patti have three children, twins, Briana and Brendan, and a son, Tavian. Montgomery also has a daughter, Sherrita, and a son Derron, who is a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Iowa State Cyclones.