| Birth date | April 17, 1949 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Rocky Mount, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Death date | May 2, 2019 |
| Death place | Nashville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Position 1 | Running back |
| High school | Nashville (NC) Nash Central[1] |
| College | Arizona State University |
| Nfldraftedyear | 1974 |
| Nfldraftedround | 5 / Pick 128 |
| Playing years 1 | 1972–1974 |
| Playing team 1 | British Columbia Lions |
| Playing years 2 | 1975-1977 |
| Playing team 2 | Atlanta Falcons |
Monroe Eley (April 17, 1949 – May 2, 2019) was an American professional football running back who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL).
Having played his college football with Arizona State University,[2] Eley was not drafted by the NFL, so he headed north to play with the British Columbia Lions. In his first year, 1972, he rushed for 517 yards and led the West Conference with 1033 kickoff return yards. His totals fell in 1973, to 373 rushing yards, as he played behind 1000 rusher Johnny Musso. The next season Musso was injured and Eley had his best year, racking up 1176 yards. His fellow running back, Lou Harris also rushed for 1239 yards, giving the Lions one of the most productive backfields in CFL history.[3]
He wasn't able to reach contract terms with the Lions, so he headed south to the Atlanta Falcons, who had noticed him and drafted him in 1974. In 1975, he played only 6 games, rushing once for 3 yards and mostly returning kicks. In 1977, he played 7 games and rushed for 273 yards, but his average was a low 2.8 yards per carry. This was his final season.
References
- ^ "Falcons defeat Farmville, 8-6". The Nashville Graphic. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ Monroe Eley: College Football Statistics
- ^ CFLAPEDIA entry - Monroe Eley