Running backs tend to have the shortest shelf life of any skill position players in the NFL. The pounding they take on a play-to-play basis limits their ability to be effective for longer than a few years, with few exceptions.
Nevertheless, Ty Montgomery of the Packers has decided that he wants to make his transition from wide receiver to running back a full-time switch. Why?
"Do I want to play in the NFL for a longer period of time and not be as happy because I'm not having the amount of success that I'd like to have?" Montgomery said. "And if running back gives me that, then I'd rather play 6-8 years in the league and having a successful career and having a lot of fun doing it and not always battling to be somebody's fourth, fifth or sixth receiver, even if it meant a 10-12 year career."
"So, would I rather be trying to be someone's No. 1 running back than being somebody's fourth, fifth or sixth receiver? Would I rather be trying to make someone's team as a fourth, fifth, sixth receiver and potentially not making as much money as I could if I played 6-8 years in the league and have the potential to make the amount of money I could at the running back position? It all came down to quality over quantity, and I want the quality of years to be what I want."
Montgomery began his NFL career with the Packers as a wideout after transitioning to the position full-time at Stanford. (He played receiver and running back during high school.) He still got a decent helping of carries at college, though, and when the Packers saw all of their top running backs get injured during the 2016 season, they turned to Montgomery to fill the role down the stretch.
He acquitted himself quite well, averaging 5.9 yards per carry while scoring three touchdowns on the ground. He also added 34 catches during the 10 games he spent playing out of the backfield. Now, he's going to stay there and mix in with the Packers' three drafted running backs. He may not have quite as long a career, but it may be a more successful one.
