# Mike Montler
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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Montler.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Montler
> Source revision: 1342415907
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|American football player (1944–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name = Mike Montler
| number = 64, 53, 52, 63
| position = [Guard](/source/Guard_(gridiron_football))
| position_2 = [Center](/source/Center_(gridiron_football))
| position_3 = [Tackle](/source/Tackle_(gridiron_football_position))
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|1|11|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [Columbus, Ohio](/source/Columbus%2C_Ohio), U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|12|13|1944|1|11|mf=y}}
| death_place = [Grand Junction, Colorado](/source/Grand_Junction%2C_Colorado), U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 254
| high_school = St. Mary's (Columbus)
| college = [Colorado](/source/Colorado_Buffaloes_football) (1965-1968)
| draftyear = 1969
| draftround = 2
| draftpick = 32
| pastteams =
* [Boston](/source/History_of_the_New_England_Patriots) / [New England Patriots](/source/New_England_Patriots) ([1969](/source/1969_American_Football_League_season)–{{NFL Year|1972}})
* [Buffalo Bills](/source/Buffalo_Bills) ({{NFL Year|1973|1976}})
* [Denver Broncos](/source/Denver_Broncos) ({{NFL Year|1977}})
* [Detroit Lions](/source/Detroit_Lions) ({{NFL Year|1978}})
| highlights =
* Consensus [All-American](/source/All-America_college_football_team) ([1968](/source/1968_All-America_college_football_team))
* Second-team All-American ([1967](/source/1967_All-America_college_football_team))
* 2× First-team All-[Big Eight](/source/Big_Eight_Conference) ([1967](/source/1967_All-Big_Eight_Conference_football_team), [1968](/source/1968_All-Big_Eight_Conference_football_team))
* Second-team All-Big Eight ([1966](/source/1966_All-Big_Eight_Conference_football_team))
| statleague = NFL/AFL
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 123
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 116
| statlabel3 = [Fumble recoveries](/source/Fumble)
| statvalue3 = 3
| pfr = M/MontMi21
}}
'''Michael R. Montler''' (January 11, 1944 – December 13, 2018) was an American professional [football](/source/American_football) [guard](/source/Guard_(gridiron_football)), [center](/source/Center_(gridiron_football)) and [offensive tackle](/source/Tackle_(gridiron_football_position)) who played ten seasons in the [American Football League](/source/American_Football_League) (AFL) and in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL) for the [Boston/New England Patriots](/source/New_England_Patriots), [Buffalo Bills](/source/Buffalo_Bills), [Denver Broncos](/source/Denver_Broncos), and the [Detroit Lions](/source/Detroit_Lions).
==University of Colorado==
Montler played [college football](/source/college_football) at the [University of Colorado](/source/University_of_Colorado_Boulder) where he was [All-American](/source/1968_All-America_college_football_team) in 1968.
==Buffalo Bills==
In 1973, his fifth year in the NFL, he became the starting center of the Bills,[{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1973_roster.htm|title=1973 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}] replacing [Remi Prudhomme](/source/Remi_Prudhomme), splitting time with [Bruce Jarvis](/source/Bruce_Jarvis), centering between [Reggie McKenzie](/source/Reggie_McKenzie_(guard)) at left guard and Hall-of-Famer [Joe DeLamielleure](/source/Joe_DeLamielleure) at right guard, for a fine 9–5 team, when O.J. Simpson became the first running back to rush for over 2,000 yards. In 1974, Montler won the job away from Jarvis, starting in all 14 games for another 9–5 season.[{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1974_roster.htm|title=1974 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}] The Bills lost ground in 1975 with a won-lost record of 8–6, despite having the best offense in the entire NFL with 420 points (30.0 points/game). For the second year in a row, Montler played all 14 games between McKenzie and DeLamielleure in the stout middle of the Bills offensive line.[{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1975_roster.htm|title=1975 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}] Although the same trio played together in all 14 games in 1976,[{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1976_roster.htm|title=1976 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}] the team sagged to 2–12, an offense worth 20th place in scoring and a defense 24th in points allowed. Montler was replaced by 5-year pro [Willie Parker](/source/Willie_Parker_(offensive_lineman)).[{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1977_roster.htm|title=1977 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}]
==Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions==
Montler became the starting center for the [Denver Broncos](/source/Denver_Broncos) in 1977 for all 14 games and the Detroit Lions in 1978, but only in 4 games.
==Death==
Montler died on December 13, 2018, aged 74 in [Grand Junction, Colorado](/source/Grand_Junction%2C_Colorado).[{{Cite web |url=https://buffalonews.com/2018/12/18/buffalo-bills-mike-montler-electric-company-obit/ |title=Bills' Electric Company center Mike Montler dies at age 74 |last=Northrop |first=Milt |last2=Carucci |first2=Vic |date=2018-12-18 |website=The Buffalo News |language=en-us |access-date=2018-12-19}}]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{1968 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Patriots1969DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Montler, Mike}}
Category:1944 births
Category:2018 deaths
Category:American football centers
Category:Boston Patriots players
Category:Buffalo Bills players
Category:Colorado Buffaloes football players
Category:Denver Broncos players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:Players of American football from Columbus, Ohio
Category:American Football League players
{{offensive-lineman-1940s-stub}}
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Montler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Montler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Montler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.