Former Green Bay Packers draft pick Ty Montgomery announced his retirement from the National Football League in a blog post on his website on Friday.
Montgomery thanked the Packers, general manager Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy, the city of Green Bay and Packers fans in the retirement post.
“To the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Packers fans who will always have a special place in my heart, ‘GO PACK GO!’”
Montgomery, a third-round pick of Thompson and the Packers in 2015, played in 92 career regular season games and five playoff games across 10 seasons.
After entering the NFL as a wide receiver, Montgomery sparked his career to life by switching to running back in a pinch for McCarthy during the 2016 season. His breakout game came in December of 2016 when he rushed for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns during a key win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Montgomery, now 31 years old and a free agent, also played for the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets.
Over 36 games with the Packers, Montgomery rushed 177 times for 849 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 97 passes for 827 yards and three touchdowns. During the 2016 postseason, Montgomery rushed 25 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns and caught 10 passes.
Montgomery finished his NFL career with 410 career touches for 2,346 yards and 11 touchdowns over 1,756 total offensive snaps. He also returned 67 kickoffs for 1,521 yards and was on the field for 906 special teams snaps.
At Stanford, Montgomery was a consensus All-American in 2013 and an All-Pac 12 pick in 2013 and 2014.
Montgomery, who played for the Patriots last season, said his next journey following football will be in financial literacy and education.
From Montgomery:
I’m going to miss so much about this game. Playing it, everything it brought to me, especially being in the locker room, the schedule and routine, these were invaluable additions to the structure and form of my life. This schedule leaves no room for you to live without purpose. I love that part of it. From practice to goals, discipline, respect, honor, and love, it builds your character alongside your teammates. And I have to be honest, it feels good to be known as an NFL athlete and football player. Being known for doing something great at an elite level feels good. It’s going to leave a gap.
While the absence of football will leave a gap, I don’t know if it’s one that needs to be filled. I think about an old tree and the rings around it showing what it’s lived through, and for me, football is another ring.
The option of ending things on my own terms and with my health has been helping me to accept retirement instead of lingering too long. I’ve been blessed to play the game for a long time, and that’s helped me be excited about what could be next. The Lord is giving me an understanding of my purpose and confidence beyond football, and I’m excited to uncover it.
Montgomery was the third of eight selections from the Packers’ 2015 draft class. He was the last active player left as of 2023, and he is retiring as the leader in NFL games played from the eight-player class.
