For Monte Coleman, it was all about responding to fear. The Redskins’ outside linebacker subscribed to a rigorous year-round conditioning program to keep himself in peak physical shape. He spent countless hours in the weight room and did sprints and middle-distance running to improve his endurance. He knew the more sweat that poured out, the crisper his performance would be by the fourth quarter of a game. His chiseled physique carried only 6% body fat.
Such an unwavering commitment was instrumental to Coleman playing 16 NFL seasons—all with the Redskins. “I was afraid of losing my job,” he said in an interview. “I never got to the point of being complacent. I always wanted to stay one step ahead of anybody and everybody. It was something where, if I don’t do what I need to do, it’s very easy my career could be cut short or become premature.”
Coleman is one of three Redskins to play at least 16 years with the franchise, along with Sammy Baugh (16) and Darrell Green (20). He saw action in 216 games, a team record until Green broke it in 1997. The Redskins brought in players to compete for Coleman’s position but would have been foolish to part ways. He tallied 43.5 sacks, the team’s fourth-highest total since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, and 56.5 overall. He also tallied 17 interceptions as one of the top coverage linebackers of his day, plus 14 fumble recoveries, among the most in team history, 1,009 tackles, and four touchdowns.
“I was in the NFL for 30 years, and he’s probably the best cover linebacker I was ever associated with and the best cover linebacker I’ve ever seen play the game,” said Larry Peccatiello, the Redskins’ linebacker coach for most of Coleman’s tenure in D.C. “If they had a Hall of Fame for nickel linebackers, Monte Coleman would be in it. He had some injuries that held him out a little bit, but he wasn’t an injury-prone guy. He was a great athlete. He was fast.”
Coleman never dreamed he would play as long as he did. After not playing high school football, he walked on at an NAIA college, Central Arkansas. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder played safety and cornerback in his first three years before switching to linebacker as a senior. He set a school record with 22 interceptions and received all-conference honors.
He became the first Central Arkansas player ever drafted in the NFL when the Redskins, who had never seen him play or practice in person, chose him in the 11th round in 1979. “I didn’t go to that school, but we saw tapes of him,” said the Redskins’ general manager at the time, Bobby Beathard. [College scouting director] Dick Daniels raved about what an athlete he was and how fast he was. He was a dominant player at that level and, boy, could he run.”
The Redskins guessed right. Coleman impressed the coaching staff with his strength, aggressiveness, quickness, and instincts and was positioned as an outside linebacker. He played in all 16 games as a rookie and came to specialize in nickel pass coverage and blitzing. He also stood out on special teams. He intercepted a career-high three passes in both 1980 and 1981 and recorded a career-high 10.5 sacks in `84 as part of a team-record 66-sack season.
Coleman, however, was dogged by injuries that forced him to miss chunks of playing time, despite the strenuous workout plan he followed to maintain his size, speed, and strength. He bulked up to 240 pounds and bench pressed 400 pounds, sporting a 53-inch chest and a 35-inch waist. At his best, he ran the 40 in 4.4 seconds.
Coaches and players were awed by his vast physical ability. His nickname was “super” because he was such a great specimen and great athlete, according to Peccatiello. In Beathard’s eyes, Coleman was probably faster than some of the squad’s safeties.
After contributing to Redskins teams that played in four Super Bowls in the franchise’s glory years of the 1980s and early `90s, Coleman, who won three Super Bowl rings, was in the twilight of his career. Nevertheless, he recorded his finest performance ever in a 30–17 victory over Atlanta in 1993, his 15th season. His highlight-reel day featured 15 tackles, two sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. He also recovered a fumble and ran 29 yards for a touchdown.
Upon his retirement at age 37 at the end of the `94 season, Coleman was one of four 1979 rookies who had lasted 16 seasons. None of the other three, quarterback Joe Montana, kicker Matt Bahr, and guard Max Montoya, played with the same team for their entire career.
