Montee Ball
A college football touchdown machine who rewrote the NCAA record books at Wisconsin before his professional promise was cut short.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American football player·Birthday: December 5·Millennials
Biography
Montee Ball's ascent at the University of Wisconsin was a spectacle of relentless production. In the Badgers' powerful, run-centric offense, he became a scoring phenomenon, plunging into the end zone with historic frequency. His 2011 season was pure magic: he tied Barry Sanders' single-season record with 39 total touchdowns, a feat that placed him as a Heisman Trophy finalist. By the time he left Madison, he held the NCAA record for career rushing touchdowns, a mark that stamped him as one of college football's most prolific finishers. The Denver Broncos drafted him in the second round, hoping to harness that scoring touch. While he earned a Super Bowl ring as a rookie in 2013, his NFL career never found its footing, hampered by fumbles and off-field struggles. His legacy, however, remains firmly cemented in the college game, a record-breaking comet whose brilliance shone brightest on Saturdays.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Montee was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Montee Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Montee's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set the NCAA FBS record for career rushing touchdowns (77) and total touchdowns (83), records he held for several years.
- Tied Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season record with 39 total touchdowns in 2011.
- Finished as a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011, placing fourth in the voting.
- Won a Super Bowl championship (XLVIII) with the Denver Broncos in the 2013 season.
- Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2025.
Did You Know?
He was a high school teammate of NFL quarterback Blaine Gabbert in Missouri.
His full first name is pronounced "Mon-TAY."
In his record-tying 2011 season, he scored at least two touchdowns in every single game.
He was known for his exceptional conditioning and rarely came off the field during his college career.
“The only way to score is to keep your legs driving after contact.”
