CHICAGO — Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery put together an encouraging stretch over the final six weeks of the 2020 regular season to top 1,000 rushing yards.
But the 2019 third-round draft pick wasn’t satisfied when he evaluated himself after the Bears season ended in a first-round playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints.
“It wasn’t enough for me last year, just knowing the untapped potential that I had within myself,” Montgomery said. “As far as my leadership last year, I didn’t do as well as I thought I could’ve done. So for me it was more of a motivational tool to take the proper time that I needed to attack the offseason properly as far as the way I plan on leading this year and the way I plan on helping this team and this offense.”
The season may be more than three months away, but Montgomery sounded like a player driven to improve when he talked to reporters after the second practice of organized team activities Wednesday at Halas Hall.
As the Bears offense struggled behind quarterback Nick Foles and a shuffled offensive line early in the 2020 season, Montgomery didn’t top 100 yards rushing in his first nine games.
He broke through with 11 carries for 103 yards in the Nov. 29 loss to the Green Bay Packers, following that performance with 11 carries for 113 yards against the Houston Texans and 32 carries for 146 yards against the Minnesota Vikings. He also had seven of his eight rushing touchdowns and 24 catches for 226 yards during that late stretch. By the end of the season, his 1,508 yards from scrimmage ranked fifth in the NFL.
The Bears have different offensive weapons this year with the return of Tarik Cohen from an ACL tear, the signing of veteran running back Damien Williams and the addition of quarterbacks Justin Fields and Andy Dalton, and it remains to be seen how that will affect the usage of Montgomery.
But he knows where he wants to get better.
“I don’t think I was vocal enough, and I don’t think I left it all out on the field like I should have,” Montgomery said. “I could have done better for my guys around me.”
Montgomery’s work ethic was one of several traits that drew the Bears in as they scouted him out of Iowa State before the 2019 draft, and he already has made a good impression on new running backs coach Michael Pitre, who replaced Charles London this offseason.
“He’s got a high desire to be great, and that makes it easy as a coach coming in here and working with him,” Pitre said last month. “He’s asking great questions in meetings. He’s always looking at how he can improve his game and take that next step.”
From a physical standpoint, getting ready for the next step in Year 3 has involved working with local speed coach Chris Korfist on altering his running mechanics.
“He’s actually teaching me how to run,” Montgomery said. “I’m 23 years old, getting ready to turn 24 here soon in a couple days, and I’ve not been able to run properly the entirety of my life. Me just really not realizing how I didn’t know how to run, he’s definitely cleared that image up for me and he’s definitely helping me out a lot.”
Montgomery didn’t want to share more, saying, “That’s like me giving you the recipe to my mama’s fried chicken. I can’t do that. It’s too important.”
As far as leadership, Bears coach Matt Nagy praised Montgomery for his growth at the end of the 2020 season. Nagy said that while Montgomery is introverted, his increased comfort level with teammates allowed him to take a bigger role. He also pointed to Montgomery’s consistent approach to practice as leading by example.
“(I want to) be able to stand behind what I say and allow my words to carry a lot of strength when I speak,” Montgomery said. “And that’s just gaining trust with everybody. Doing all the right things all the time. You can’t be a half-assed leader. You’ve got to be a full-on leader and let the guys around you know that you’re here for the greater good of the team at all times.”