Long-time Washington Commanders fans will probably remember the name Ladell Betts, who played running back for eight seasons in D.C. between 2002 and 2009.
Now, after four seasons as running backs coach at the University of Iowa, he'll be taking on the same role in the NFL. For the Commanders' division rival New York Giants.
NFC East rivalry aside, this is a big step for Betts, who has been involved in coaching since 2013. That includes a two-year stint as head coach at Pine Crest School in Boca Raton, Florida, where he led the preparatory school's squad to an undefeated season in 2020.
Ex-Washington RB Ladell Betts earned NFL coaching opportunity the hard way
Betts was a star at Iowa, where he was a two-time member of the All-Big Ten team in 1999 and 2001. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in 2000 and 2001 for the Hawkeyes, scoring 11 total touchdowns during his senior year as well. His production was enough to get drafted in the second round by Washington in 2002 with the No. 56 overall pick.
He was mostly a backup to Clinton Portis in Washington. Betts had a standout season in 2006 while the No. 1 nursed an injury for much of the year. He started nine games, rushing for 1,154 yards on 4.7 yards per attempt while catching 53 passes for 445 receiving yards.
Throughout his career, Betts was known for his versatility as a pass-catching back, as well as his abilities as a returner. He made for the ideal backup in an era of heavy-duty power backs, a major reason why he was a mainstay in Washington for eight years.
After spending his final NFL season with the New Orleans Saints in 2010, Betts completed his career with 3,326 rushing yards on 821 carries, 1,646 receiving yards on 188 catches, and 2,085 kick return yards on 87 attempts. He accounted for 19 touchdowns throughout his time in the professional ranks.
Betts' experience prepared him well for coaching, and he has been successful at every stop thus far. He was instrumental in the development of Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, who was a consensus All-American in 2024 while rushing for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns (both all-time school records) as a junior.
This is a foot in the NFL coaching door for Betts, who will have the opportunity to work with a Giants backfield that is still trying to recover from general manager Joe Schoen's perplexing decision to let Saquon Barkley leave for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency last year. If he can help turn that unit around, he may find himself in line for even bigger opportunities down the road.