Art Monk facts for kids
Monk at the USDA 150th Anniversary celebration in 2012
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| No. 81, 85 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | December 5, 1957 White Plains, New York, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | White Plains | ||||||
| College: | Syracuse (1976–1979) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1980 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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James Arthur Monk (born December 5, 1957) is a former professional football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Art Monk played for the Washington Redskins, the New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Many football experts believe he is one of the greatest wide receivers ever. He was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Contents
Art Monk's Early Life and Family
Art Monk was born on December 5, 1957. He is related to the famous jazz musician Thelonious Monk. Thelonious Monk was his first cousin once removed.
College Football Journey
Art Monk played college football at Syracuse University from 1976 to 1979. He was a key player for the Orangemen team. Monk led his team in receiving yards for three seasons: 1977, 1978, and 1979. He is still one of the top players in Syracuse history for career receptions and receiving yards. He studied at the College of Visual and Performing Arts while at Syracuse.
College Highlights
During his time at Syracuse, Art Monk played in 44 games. He caught 102 passes for 1,644 yards. He also scored 9 touchdowns as a receiver. Monk also ran the ball, gaining 1,174 yards and scoring 4 rushing touchdowns.
Art Monk's Amazing NFL Career
The Washington Redskins picked Art Monk in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft. In his first year, he was named to the All-Rookie team. He set a new record for Redskins rookies with 58 catches.
In the 1984 season, Monk had an incredible year. He caught 106 passes, which was an NFL record at the time. He also gained 1,372 receiving yards, his best in a single season. That year, he was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and went to his first Pro Bowl. He continued to play well, becoming the first Redskins receiver to have three seasons in a row with over 1,000 receiving yards.
The Posse: A Famous Trio
In the 1989 season, Art Monk was part of a famous group of wide receivers called "The Posse." This group also included Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders. They made history by becoming the first trio of wide receivers in the NFL to each gain over 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.
Super Bowl Wins and Records
Art Monk played 14 seasons with the Washington Redskins. During this time, the team won three Super Bowl championships: Super Bowl XVII, Super Bowl XXII, and Super Bowl XXVI. He was chosen as an All-Pro player in 1984 and 1985. He also played in the Pro Bowl three times (1984, 1985, and 1986).
Monk played 15 seasons in the NFL, including time with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. He had more than 50 catches in nine of those seasons and over 1,000 receiving yards in five seasons. He set an NFL record for career receptions on October 12, 1992, with his 820th catch. He was the first player to reach over 900 receptions, finishing his career with 940. This was the all-time record until Jerry Rice broke it.
Art Monk also set a record for catching at least one pass in 183 consecutive games. He was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, recognizing him as one of the best players of the 1980s. He was also the first player to score a touchdown in 15 straight seasons and to have at least 35 catches in 15 straight seasons.
Hall of Fame Honors
On August 2, 2008, Art Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His former Redskins teammate, Darrell Green, was also inducted that day. When Monk was introduced at the Hall of Fame ceremony, he received the longest standing ovation in the event's history, lasting over four minutes! In 2012, he was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
In July 2025, the Washington Commanders (formerly the Redskins) announced they would retire Art Monk's No. 81 jersey. This means no other player on the team will wear that number. He is the sixth player in the team's history to receive this special honor.
Art Monk's Career Statistics
Art Monk played in 224 total NFL games. He had 940 receptions for 12,721 receiving yards. He scored 68 touchdowns in the regular season and 7 touchdowns in playoff games. He had five seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and nine seasons with over 50 receptions.
Redskins Team Records
Art Monk holds several records for the Washington Redskins:
- Most yards from scrimmage (13,053)
- Most receiving yards (12,026)
- Most receptions (888)
- Most consecutive games with at least one reception as a Redskin (164)
NFL Records Set by Art Monk
- First player to score a touchdown in 15 consecutive seasons (1980–1994).
- Most consecutive seasons with at least 35 receptions (15, from 1980–1994).
- First player to have over 102 receptions in a season (106 in 1984) before rule changes made passing easier.
- First player to have over 100 receptions in the Super Bowl era.
- First player to have back-to-back seasons with 1,200 yards and 90 receptions (1984, 1985).
- First player to reach 820 career receptions.
- First player to go over 900 career receptions, finishing with 940 (an all-time record at the time).
- First player to have at least one reception in 180 consecutive games.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Art Monk has been involved in business and community service.
Business Ventures
Art Monk is an executive and co-founder of Alliant Merchant Services. This company helps businesses with electronic payment services.
Helping the Community
Art Monk is a very religious person. He helped start the Good Samaritan Foundation with his former Washington teammates Charles Mann, Tim Johnson, and Earnest Byner. This foundation helps young people by giving them skills, training, and resources. Their Student Training Opportunity Program (STOP) helps over 50 high school students with after-school programs, tutoring, and mentoring.
Since 1983, the Art Monk Football Camp has helped more than 14,000 young athletes.
Special Honors
- Elected to the Syracuse University Board of Trustees.
- Member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
- Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Inducted into the White Plains High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
See also
In Spanish: Art Monk para niños
