Mike Bellamy

Michael Sinclair "Mike" Bellamy, II. (born June 28, 1966 in New York, New York) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1990 to 1991. He was most recently the wide receivers coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team. Spending time with the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and the Oakland Raiders. Bellamy completed his career with the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World Football League. He was the 3rd WR drafted and taken by the Eagles in the second round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois.

College career

College of DuPage

In 1987, Mike Bellamy was a Junior College All-American for College of DuPage The top rated Junior College Wide Receiver prospect of 1987, Bellamy choose to attend University of Illinois. In 2009, Mike Bellamy was inducted into the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame in 2007, for his achievements over his Junior College career

University of Illinois

In 1989, Bellamy caught 59 passes for 927 yards and eight touchdowns for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He earned second-team All-America honors as a kick returner and first-team All-Big Ten honors as a wide receiver after the season. Being part of the 1989-1990 Fighting Illini, Bellamy and his teammates defeated the Virginia Cavaliers in the 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl. Bellamy recorded 10 catches for 189 yards for the game, leading the Illini to victory with teammate Jeff George.

Professional career

Bellamy was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (51st overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft. He played in only six games for the Eagles because of injury, catching no passes. He returned a punt and two kickoffs as the Eagles reached the playoffs. He was released on August 26, 1991.^[1]

Bellamy spent time on offseason rosters for the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, and Oakland Raiders from 1992 to 1995. Being invited to participate in the resurgent World Football League, Bellamy finished his career playing in back to back World Bowl Championships, winning in 1996. In 1996, Bellamy also led the World League in touchdown receptions, along with teammates Mario Bailey and Bobby Olive.

Coaching career

Mike Bellamy is currently on staff at Mississippi State University as Offensive Quality Control/Analyst(2016- Present) Mike spent four seasons on the Illinois staff (2012–15), including three as an assistant coach. He was promoted to wide receivers coach in February 2013 after serving one year as assistant director of player personnel and relations (2012).

While earning Big Ten Wide Receiver coach of the year for 2014, under Bellamy’s guidance, freshman receiver Mike Dudek burst onto the scene in 2014, as the newcomer posted a team-high 76 catches with six touchdowns and 1,038 yards, which broke Arrelious Benn’s school record for receiving yards by a freshman (676 in 2007). He was named second-team All-Big Ten, first-team Freshman All-America by Scout.com and first-team True-Freshman All-America by ESPN.com and 247sports.

In 2013, Bellamy molded an unheralded group of receivers into one that helped Illinois record the most total passing yards in a season in school history (3,452) and third-most passing yards per game (287.7). He guided Steve Hull’s transition from defensive back to receiver in Hull’s final season, helping him rank in the top 10 in school history in season receiving yards (993), season touchdown catches (seven) and season 100-yard receiving games (five). Hull also was the nation’s most prolific receiver over the final four weeks of the season, posting 653 yards and six touchdowns on 40 catches (16.3 ypc) during that span^[2]

References