New Orleans Saints Running Back Ty Montgomery
Zoom Availability with New Orleans Media
Monday, May 18, 2020

Opening Statement:
"I'm very, very excited to join the Saints. Speaking with my agent, this was just the perfect opportunity for someone in my position who, I guess you could say has kind of struggled a little bit in trying to find my niche or my role in offenses. Just being drafted as a receiver and then moving to running back, sort of being in different boxes and trying to figure out how to fit the best in an offense. And I think the Saint's offense, it gives me that. Obviously they have guys like Alvin Kamara, they've shown what they can do with guys like him, Taysom Hill, they've shown what they can do with guys like him, just other guys as well over the years. Coach Sean Payton and his offense, it's just sort of been, I guess you could say notorious for putting guys in the best positions to be successful and being very creative on offense."

Like you alluded to, Sean Payton doesn't really believe in inside the box on offense, tending to think outside the box. He just has a vision for people and lets them do it. So just knowing how your career has gone, how exciting is that for you that you may not necessarily have to fit in a box and that's okay?
"Yeah, I actually think that is something I spoke about when I first made the transition (decision to join the Saints). (When) I was in Green Bay, everyone was talking about, oh, you're a running back now. What does this mean for you as a receiver and your abilities as a receiver? I've always said I don't believe I necessarily have to fit into a box. I can sit in a running back room and still do things as a wide receiver, I can sit in the receiver room and still do things as a running back. My ultimate goal's just to be able to play and help the team in any way I can. God's blessed me with some gifts and abilities and I just want to be able to take advantage of those. So I am very happy to be here."

Has it been tough or frustrating I guess to move around positions, get switched like that? Was that frustrating for you?
"The initial switch wasn't frustrating. I guess, at times, what became frustrating is I would be limited to third and longs or majority just screens and not even really a lot of runs. The runs and touches I would get would come at the end of games. Either we're getting blown out or we're blowing out the other team. That's been a little frustrating because I've just been trying to find my role just to be able to help in any way I can."

How familiar are you with the Saints offense and I guess specifically with the ball distribution because a lot of guys get their hands on the ball in this offense?
"Yeah, being someone who is from the outside looking in, talking with ex-teammates and whatnot, we just discussed how New Orleans would actually be a perfect fit for me. Just because there's times where I remember one year it was Mark (Ingram) and Alvin (Kamara), you couldn't really tell who the starter was. Both those guys had a lot of production, easily over the 1,200 all-purpose yard mark. Taysom Hill, we were actually in Green Bay together, so I already knew what kind of athlete he was. So to see him thrive, catch balls, run the football, throw the football. I was already pretty familiar with this offense and this offense putting guys in positions to win. Obviously being with Jimmy (Graham) in Green Bay, he talked about it. (I have been) Watching what Jared Cook has been doing, we were in Green Bay together. It's just a place where anybody can thrive really?"

How excited are you to be back in the South?
"You know what, man, I'm so excited about that. Especially my family. All my roots are Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. I've got some family in Alabama as well, so everybody's really excited and everybody's talking about they can drive to games and now they can afford to come to the games. I have some family in Monroe, Louisiana as well Natchitoches. I'm very excited to be back in the South, get away from that cold weather for a little bit."

I see you were born in Jackson. When did you leave Mississippi?
"I was a young pup. I've been in Texas probably since my pre-K years, (I've) been in Dallas since kindergarten, but I've always gone back to Mississippi. My biological father and his family (are) in Mississippi. My mom's side of the family, great kinfolk there from Starkville, Mississippi and Columbus. So I go back to Mississippi a little bit."

Like you said, you're reuniting with some Green Bay teammates, I think you have at least one college teammate too, but what's that like? You're going to a new team, but there are going to be plenty of familiar faces.
"It kind of makes me feel comfortable really. See some guys, guys that can help me learn the New Orleans way of doing things. I'm just going to, every day, go to work and just try to enjoy the guys around me. I will say it seems like it's a very fun atmosphere as well from the outside looking in. I've never heard any bad things about New Orleans. Everybody says they love it. Training camp's hard, everybody works hard, but everybody has fun and has fun playing the game. So I'm excited for that."

Have you ever played in the Superdome?
"I have not played in the dome before."

You mentioned being teammates with Taysom Hill. Did you ever think during that summer that you'd be competing for snaps with him, you both kind of similar undefined roles in this offense now?
"As far as competing with Taysom Hill, I think that's one of the cool things about not fitting into a box. Taysom can play running back, quarterback or receiver. I feel as though I can play running back or receiver or just help out in other ways. I have even played fullback a few times when I was in Green Bay lead blocking for the other halfbacks and ponies (backs). I do not really see it as competing against one another. You are competing against everybody every single day. Everybody is trying to fight and make the 53-man roster. But, if there's a package for me that maybe I'm able to do better than Taysom in terms of running the ball, Taysom has his packages he's going to be able to do better than me in terms of running the ball, throwing the ball and catching the ball. So I think that is one of the benefits of not really being limited to just one box per say, is that if somebody else does something well, you can go do something else. That's the value in being able to do more. They always say, the more you can do the better."

You said you never played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Have you been in New Orleans a lot though? Is it a place you visited growing up in the South or no?
"No, not really. I've been to New Orleans once for a fishing trip. I forget where we went. Probably about a couple hours outside of New Orleans. I walked down Bourbon Street. I'm not a huge partier, drinker or anything like that. I'm more of like a find a spot with some good music, find a good restaurant, maybe have a glass of wine or something like that, but I love to eat. I can have a good time too, I can enjoy Bourbon Street, but I'm excited about the city. I'll tell you that much."