Wilbert Montgomery

Wilbert Montgomery

Baltimore Ravens
Running backs coach
Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: September 16, 1954 (1954-09-16)
Place of birth: Greenville, Mississippi
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	Weight: 195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College: Abilene Christian
NFL Draft: 1977 / Round: 6 / Pick: 154
Debuted in 1977 for the Philadelphia Eagles
Last played in 1985 for the Detroit Lions
Career history
As player: Philadelphia Eagles (1977-1984) Detroit Lions (1985)
As coach: 1997-1999 St. Louis Rams (RB) 2000-2002 St. Louis Rams (TE) 2003-2005 St. Louis Rams (RB) 2006-2007 Detroit Lions (RB) 2008- Baltimore Ravens (RB)
Career highlights and awards
Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll 2× Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1979)
Stats at NFL.com
College Football Hall of Fame

Wilbert Montgomery (born September 16, 1954 in Greenville, Mississippi) 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.

Playing career

College

An outstanding athlete at Abilene Christian University, 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.

NFL

Montgomery was drafted 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 career

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 Rams' 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.

Personal

Montgomery is a native of Greenville, 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.

External links

• College Football Hall of Fame bio
• Detroit Lions coaching bio
• St. Louis Rams coaching bio
• Wilbert Montgomery Then and Now