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Sankar Montoute

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Sankar Montoute
No. 55, 56
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born:(1961-02-02)February 2, 1961(age 63)
Trinidad,West Indies Federation
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:St. John's Military Academy(Delafield, Wisconsin,U.S.)
College:Wisconsin(1979–1980)
Saint Leo(1981–1984)[a]
Career history
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Sacks:1.5
Interceptions:1
StatsatPro Football Reference

Sankar Jerome Montoute(born February 2, 1961) is a Trinidadian former professional player ofAmerican footballwho was alinebackerfor one season in theNational Football League(NFL) for theTampa Bay Buccaneers.Born inTrinidad,he moved toNew York Cityas a child and attendedSt. John's Military AcademyinWisconsin.He playedcollege footballfor theWisconsin Badgersbefore transferring toSaint Leo University,where he played three years ofcollege basketball.He joined theKansas City Chiefsas anundrafted free agentin 1984 and after a brief stint there, played for theTampa Bay Banditsof theUnited States Football League(USFL) in 1985. He was a member of theEdmonton Eskimosof theCanadian Football League(CFL) for part of 1987 before joining the Buccaneers later that year as areplacement player.

Early life

[edit]

Montoute was born on February 2, 1961, inTrinidad.[1]He is one of only fiveNational Football League(NFL) players fromTrinidad and Tobagoas well as the first.[2]He is of Indian descent and his name, Sankar, refers to the Hindu god of destructionShiva.[3]His father died when he was young and his mother moved the family toNew York Cityto live with relatives.[3]

Montoute playedpickup basketballin New York City and his talent in the sport led to him receiving a scholarship to attendSt. John's Military AcademyinDelafield, Wisconsin.[3]At St. John's, he became a standout in three sports: basketball,footballandtrack and field.[4]He became a starter in both basketball and football as asophomoreand went on to win all-state honors in all three sports he competed in.[4][5]

As asenior,Montoute led both the football and basketball teams to state championship appearances and won a state track championship as a member of the800m relayteam.[5]He was the teamcaptainin basketball and set a school record for career rebounds, being named all-conference, all-county, all-state, all-tournament and the teamMVP.[6][7]He also won all-state and all-conference honors in football that year.[6]Montoute was named the school's most valuable athlete in May 1979.[6]He accepted a scholarship offer to playcollege footballfor theWisconsin Badgersafter he graduated from high school.[5]

College career

[edit]

Montoute began hisfreshmanyear at Wisconsin on thescout teambefore being promoted to second-stringfree safetynear the end of the 1979 season.[8]He then was a backuplinebackerfor the Badgers in 1980, but missed a portion of the season due to injury.[9]

Following two seasons with the Wisconsin football team, Montoute transferred toSaint Leo UniversityinFloridato play for the basketball team, which was led by his former high school coach Gary Richert.[5]He started three years with theNCAA Division II-levelSaint Leo Lions,being a top defender and rebounder while playingforward.[10][11]He was among theSunshine State Conferenceleaders in scoring and rebounding as ajunior,with averages of 11 points and eight rebounds per game, and was named second-team All-South for his performance.[11][12]He scored less points as a senior in 1983–84 but still led the team in rebounding, finishing his collegiate career in the school's top 10 in that category.[5][4]He graduated from Saint Leo's with abachelor's degreein marketing.[4]

Professional career

[edit]

Despite having been out of football for the prior three years, Montoute signed with the NFL'sKansas City Chiefsfollowing the1984 NFL draftto play linebacker.[10][13]He was injured in preseason camp and placed oninjured reserveprior to the 1984 season, on August 13, 1984, later being released on August 29.[14][15][16]On December 11, 1984, he signed a free agent contract with theTampa Bay Banditsof theUnited States Football League(USFL).[16]After competing for a roster spot with the Bandits, Montoute was placed on theinactive squadto begin the 1985 season.[17][18]He later was activated and recorded his first USFL start against theOrlando Renegadeson June 1, 1985.[19]He became a free agent in August 1986 when the USFL folded.[20]

Montoute signed with theEdmonton Eskimosof theCanadian Football League(CFL) for the 1987 season.[21]He was placed on the practice roster on July 2, to open the season, but was later released on July 7.[22][23]He later said that joining the Eskimos was a mistake: "I made a bad choice. I should have waited around for a better offer, but I was so anxious to get the show on the road. Once I got up there, I didn't like the brand of football, I was cold, and homesick."[4]Following his release, he returned to Florida and decided to take a job with the local sheriff's department.[4]

When theNational Football League Players Association(NFLPA)went on strikeduring the 1987 NFL season, teams assembled rosters ofreplacement playersand the localTampa Bay Buccaneersgave Montoute an offer.[4]He signed on September 22, 1987, and made his NFL debut against theDetroit Lionsin Week 4, posting fourtacklesand a half-sack.[14][24][25]He was, at the time, the only Trinidadian NFL player, as well as the only one from Saint Leo University, which did not have a football team.[25]In his second game, against theSan Diego Chargers,he recorded two tackles.[25]In his third and last game, against theMinnesota Vikings,he had a sack and aninterception.[26]He was released, along with the vast majority of the other replacements, at the end of the strike.[14]

Later life

[edit]

After being released by the Buccaneers, Montoute became a police officer.[26]He had an offer to sign with the Buccaneers again in 1988, but declined it to stay at his job.[26]He rose to the position of major, overseeing homeland security for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.[26]In addition to being in command of about 75 officers in his department, he also supervised the 50 officers tasked with securing Buccaneers games.[26]Montoute married and had two sons who worked with him in the county sheriff's office.[4][26]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Montoute played only basketball at Saint Leo, as they do not have a football team.

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Sankar Montoute Stats".Pro Football Archives.
  2. ^"List of all NFL Players Born in Trinidad and Tobago".Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. ^abcMcEwen, Tom (February 5, 1985)."Longshots buck odds trying to make Bandits".The Tampa Tribune.p. 51 – viaNewspapers.com.
  4. ^abcdefghRomano, John (October 10, 1987)."Big-leaguer again".Tampa Bay Times.p. 98 – viaNewspapers.com.
  5. ^abcdeWaldman, Cary (February 1, 1984)."Sankar Montoute".The Tampa Tribune.p. 35 – viaNewspapers.com.
  6. ^abc"'Most valuable' award to Montoute ".The Oconomowoc Enterprise.May 24, 1979. p. 7 – viaNewspapers.com.
  7. ^"At A Glance".The Waukesha Freeman.January 20, 2005. p. 13 – viaNewspapers.com.
  8. ^"Montoute Promoted".The Waukesha Freeman.November 2, 1979. p. 22 – viaNewspapers.com.
  9. ^"Injury ends Montoute's chance to be tight end".The Waukesha Freeman.October 16, 1980. p. 18 – viaNewspapers.com.
  10. ^abWaldman, Cary (May 1, 1984)."Montoute hoping NFL calls today".The Tampa Tribune.p. 82 – viaNewspapers.com.
  11. ^ab"Saint Leo duo keeps its lead in rebounding".The Tampa Tribune.December 22, 1982. p. 17 – viaNewspapers.com.
  12. ^"Montoute named to All-South second team".The Tampa Tribune.March 12, 1983. p. 91 – viaNewspapers.com.
  13. ^Waldman, Cary (May 4, 1984)."Montoute signs with Chiefs".The Tampa Tribune.p. 111 – viaNewspapers.com.
  14. ^abc"Sankar Montoute NFL Transactions".Pro Football Archives.
  15. ^"Chiefs cut ex-Monarch".The Tampa Tribune– viaNewspapers.com.
  16. ^ab"Former Saint Leo basketball star reportedly signs with Bandits".The Tampa Tribune.December 13, 1984. p. 33 – viaNewspapers.com.
  17. ^Thomas, Kevin (February 3, 1985)."Mountoute making impression at Bandits camp".Tampa Bay Times.p. 96 – viaNewspapers.com.
  18. ^"Bandits swap Cannei for defensive lineman Graham".Tampa Bay Times.February 22, 1985. p. 42 – viaNewspapers.com.
  19. ^Thomas, Kevin (June 8, 1985)."In year of uncertainty, Montoute, Pitcock show increased confidence".Tampa Bay Times.p. 52 – viaNewspapers.com.
  20. ^Johnston, Joey; Pugliese, Nick (August 9, 1986)."Bandits will release Spurrier; players prepare for future".The Tampa Tribune.p. 38 – viaNewspapers.com.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^"Digest".Edmonton Journal.April 9, 1987. p. 56 – viaNewspapers.com.
  22. ^"Transactions".Red Deer Advocate.July 3, 1987. p. 20 – viaNewspapers.com.
  23. ^"Tuesday Transactions".The Ottawa Citizen.July 8, 1987. p. 74 – viaNewspapers.com.
  24. ^"Sankar Montoute Career Game Log".Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  25. ^abcKing, Bill (October 15, 1987)."Montoute makes it with the Buccaneers".The Tampa Tribune.p. 74 – viaNewspapers.com.
  26. ^abcdefAuman, Greg (October 18, 2017)."Today he secures Bucs games; 30 years ago he played in them".Port Charlotte Sun.p. 1,4– viaNewspapers.com.
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