Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Art Monk Named No. 14 Player on 50th Anniversary All-Time Team

SHREVEPORT, La. (Sept. 8, 2026) – A plethora of the greatest players and coaches have set foot on the Independence Stadium field for Shreveport’s annual college football bowl game, and one of just six Pro Football Hall of Famers to play or coach in the Independence Bowl, Syracuse wide receiver Art Monk, is the number 14 player on the 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Monk, who is also a College Football Hall of Famer, caught one pass for a seven-yard touchdown for Syracuse in the 1979 Independence Bowl. It was the final touchdown of his collegiate career. Alongside fellow All-Time Team member Joe Morris, Monk helped lead the Orange to a 31-7 victory over McNeese State in the fourth Independence Bowl.

A native of White Plains, New York, Monk had three great years in a row at Syracuse from 1977 through 1979 – leading the team in receptions all three years. He was an all-around weapon, compiling 1,644 receiving yards, 1,174 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns in his college career. The 1979 Independence Bowl season was the best of his career, as he caught 40 passes for 716 yards and was named first-team All-American and first-team All-East. 

After his college career, which placed him in the top 10 in Syracuse history in a bevy of categories, Monk was selected in the first round, 18th overall, in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. The pick paid immediate dividends, as he set a Washington rookie record with 58 receptions on his way to being a unanimous selection on the NFL All-Rookie team. 

During Monk’s 14 seasons in Washington, the Redskins won three Super Bowls (XVII, XXII and XXVI), and he made three Pro Bowls (1984, 1985 and 1986) and was named first-team All-Pro twice (1984 and 1985). The best season of his career was 1984, when he caught a then-league-record 106 passes for a career-high 1,372 yards. He was the only player to have more than 102 receptions in a season before the new NFL rule changes in 1990 ushered in the “pass-happy era.” 

Monk, who became the first player in the NFL to catch a touchdown in 15 consecutive seasons and the first player ever to tally 35 receptions in 15 straight seasons, was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. He became the sixth player in Washington Redskins/Commanders history to have his jersey retired in 2025, when the team retired his No. 81. Monk is one of just three players to play in an Independence Bowl who have been inducted into both the Pro and College Football Hall of Fames – alongside Bruce Smith and Willie Roaf.

The next player on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 13, will be announced on Monday, September 14. Players will be announced individually every week, with No. 1 being announced on Monday, December 7.

Previously Announced Members of the All-Time Team

The first 36 players on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, as previously announced, include:

• No. 15 – Von Miller (OLB – Texas A&M, 2009)
• No. 16 – Wesley Walls (DE/TE – Ole Miss, 1986)
• No. 17 – Joe Morris (RB – Syracuse, 1979)
• No. 18 – Ray Childress (DT – Texas A&M, 1981)
• No. 19 – Sidney Rice (WR – South Carolina, 2005)
• No. 20 – Brad Smith (QB – Missouri, 2003 & 2005)
• No. 21 – Derrick Mason (WR – Michigan State, 1995)
• No. 22 – Garrison Hearst (RB – Georgia, 1991)
• No. 23 – Jacob Rodriguez (LB – Texas Tech, 2023)
• No. 24 – Tim Krumrie (NG – Wisconsin, 1982)
• No. 25 – Muhsin Muhammad (WR – Michigan State, 1995)
• No. 26 – Ja’Mar Toombs (RB – Texas A&M, 2000)
• No. 27 – Otis Wilson (LB – Louisville, 1977)
• No. 28 – A.J. Green (WR – Georgia, 2009)
• No. 29 – Rocky Calmus (LB – Oklahoma, 1999)
• No. 30 – Flozell Adams (OT – Michigan State, 1995)
• No. 31 – Willie Blade (DT – Mississippi State, 2000)
• No. 32 – Scott Thomas (S – Air Force, 1983 & 1984)
• No. 33 – Chad Hennings (DT – Air Force, 1984)
• No. 34 – Dameyune Craig (QB – Auburn, 1996)
• No. 35 – Geno Atkins (DT – Georgia, 2009)
• No. 36 – Rondell Mealey (RB – LSU, 1997)
• No. 37 – Rolando McClain (LB – Alabama, 2007)
• No. 38 – Weldon Brown (CB – Louisiana Tech, 2008)
• No. 39 – Andre Smith (OT – Alabama, 2006 & 2007)
• No. 40 – Tiki Barber (RB – Virginia, 1994)
• No. 41 – Puka Nacua (WR – BYU, 2021)
• No. 42 – Gary Kubiak (QB – Texas A&M, 1981)
• No. 43 – Seneca Wallace (QB – Iowa State, 2001)
• No. 44 – Todd McClure (C – LSU, 1995 & 1997)
• No. 45 – Gary Anderson (K – Syracuse, 1979)
• No. 46 – Booger McFarland (LB – LSU, 1995 & 1997)
• No. 47 – Tremaine Edmunds (LB – Virginia Tech, 2015)
• No. 48 – Bill Musgrave (QB – Oregon, 1989)
• No. 49 – Larry Anderson (DB – Louisiana Tech, 1977)
• No. 50 – Lorenza Baker (LB – Louisiana Tech, 1990)

Selection & Ranking Criteria and Committee

An experienced, diverse committee compiled the list of the top 50 all-time players, including local media members and representatives from the Independence Bowl. Players were nominated and evaluated based on the following criteria:

• 40 percent weight based on their Independence Bowl performance(s)
• 30 percent based on their college career and accolades
• 30 percent based on their pro career and accomplishments

To read more about the nomination and selection process, release schedule and selection and ranking committee, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com/news.

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most historic bowl game, with the 50th anniversary game set for Tuesday, December 22, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. CST on ESPN. Radiance Technologies is the bowl’s title sponsor through at least the 2027 Bowl Season. 

The Independence Bowl Foundation is a prominent presence in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to enhance the economic impact and growth of our community. The Mission of the Independence Bowl is to attract and provide quality, nationally recognized football competition oriented to the Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com or follow the bowl on Facebook, X and Instagram at @IndyBowl.