David Montgomery

Early life

Montgomery grew up in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. He is an Eagle Scout. During high school, he was a standout prep dual threat quarterback. Over his four-year high school career, he rushed for 6,666 yards and 91 touchdowns. In 2015, he was named the Division III Ohio Player of the Year as well as the Southwest District Offensive Player of the Year. His senior season rushing total of 2,707 was good enough for the 21st best single season performance in Ohio high school history. He posted seven 200-yard games and three 300-yard games, including one 373 yard performance.

Despite a record-breaking high school career, Montgomery was lightly recruited to continue his football career in college. He was recruited by Miami (OH), Ball State, Buffalo, and Iowa State. He eventually committed to the Cyclones.

2016 season

As a true freshman in 2016, Montgomery played in all 12 games and started the final four contests. He led the team in rushing with 563 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. This was good enough to be the second-best freshman performance in school history. In his second career start he rushed 169 yards on 24 carries to defeat Kansas. He was named Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week for that performance. He finished the season with 141 yards rushing and 45 yards receiving against West Virginia.

At the conclusion of the season Montgomery was named to the honorable mention Freshman All-American team by Campus Insiders.

2017 season

Montgomery's breakout season was in 2017. He led the Cyclones in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage with 1,095 and 1,383 respectively. He finished second in the Big 12 in rushing yards and touchdowns behind only Justice Hill. Montgomery led the nation in forced missed tackles with 104, breaking the previous record of 89 set by Dalvin Cook. Against Iowa he ran for 113 yards, rushed for a touchdown, and had 53 yards on receptions. In an upset win at #3 Oklahoma, Montgomery ran for 55 yards and a touchdown and caught 7 passes for 89 yards. He had a career day against Texas Tech rushing for 164 yards on 28 attempts, averaging 5.9 yards per play. Montgomery had a third straight 100 yard performance against West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Baylor with 115, 105, and 144 yards respectively including three touchdowns against the Cowboys.

Montgomery received multiple accolades at the end of the regular season. He was named a first-team All-American by Pro Football Focus as well as consensus first-team All-Big 12.

2018 season

Montgomery started the season slow, but had a string of four straight 100-yard games with five touchdowns from mid-September to mid-October, and ended the season with another string of three straight 100-yard games with six touchdowns, including 179 yards from scrimmage in the 2018 Alamo Bowl loss to Washington State. Montgomery finished the 2018 season with 1,216 rushing yards (second in the Big 12 to Alex Barnes) and 13 rushing touchdowns (second to Sam Ehlinger).

Personal life

Montgomery had a difficult childhood. He does not know his father, and his mother moved the family numerous times around Cincinnati due to economic hardship. He remembers using the oven for heat, and boiling water collected from gas stations in the bath tub when either was disconnected. He has a brother who was incarcerated for drug trafficking and murder. After scoring a touchdown, Montgomery frequently holds up a "V"-sign in memory of a high school teammate and role model who was murdered during a home invasion.

During high school, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America as part of Troop 772 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is currently an official Scouting America ambassador.

While he was with Iowa State, Montgomery was chosen as a semi-finalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award for his efforts in befriending Hunter Erb, a 6-year-old who was born with multiple congenital heart defects, and orchestrating a team visit to Marshalltown, Iowa, to help clean up after a tornado.

Montgomery began following a vegan diet during the 2020 season. After the Lions' Thanksgiving win in 2024, he drew media attention for eating a carrot while his teammates ate CBS' celebratory turkey.

Montgomery and his girlfriend had their first child, a boy, delivered on January 13, 2023.

On October 7, 2025, Montgomery was awarded the North Star Award, which is the highest award given to a person not currently enrolled in scouting for his service to Scouting. The event was held in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and was awarded by Michigan Crossroads Council chief development officer Denver Laabs.