View source for Ladell Betts

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1979)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| embed          =
| name           = Ladell Betts
| image          = Ladell Betts.jpg
| image_size     = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = Betts with the [[Washington Redskins]] in 2006
| number         = <!-- 46 -->
| current_team   = New York Giants 
| position       = Running backs coach <!-- [[Running back]] --> 
| career_position     =rb
| career_number       =46
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1979|8|27|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Kansas City, Kansas]], U.S.
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height_ft      = 5
| height_in      = 11
| weight_lb      = 224
| high_school    = [[Blue Springs R-IV School District#Schools|Blue Springs (MO)]]
| college        = [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] (1997–2001)
| cis            = 
| draftyear      = 2002
| draftround     = 2
| draftpick      = 56
| pastteams      =
* [[Washington Redskins]] ({{nfly|2002}}–{{nfly|2009}})
* [[New Orleans Saints]] ({{nfly|2010}})
| pastcoaching   =
* [[Coral Springs Christian Academy]] (2013) <br> Running backs coach
* [[Boca Raton Community High School|Boca Raton HS]] (2014–2015) <br> Offensive coordinator
* [[Pine Crest School]] (2016–2018) <br> Offensive coordinator
* Pine Crest School (2019–2020) <br> Head coach
* [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] (2021–2024) <br> Running backs coach
* [[New York Giants]] (2025–present) <br> Running backs coach
| status         = 
| highlights     =
* 2× Second-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1999 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1999]], [[2001 All-Big Ten Conference football team|2001]])
| statleague     = 
| statseason     = 
| statweek       = 
| statlabel1     = [[Carry (gridiron football)|Rushing attempts]]
| statvalue1     = 821
| statlabel2     = [[Rushing yards]]
| statvalue2     = 3,326
| statlabel3     = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue3     = 188
| statlabel4     = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue4     = 1,646
| statlabel5     = [[Return yards]]
| statvalue5     = 2,085
| statlabel6     = [[Touchdown|Total touchdowns]]
| statvalue6     = 19
| regular_record = <!-- {{Winning percentage|ww|ll|tt|record=y}} -->
| playoff_record = <!-- {{Winning percentage|ww|ll|tt|record=y}} -->
| overall_record = <!-- {{Winning percentage|ww|ll|tt|record=y}} -->
| pfr            = BettLa00
| pfrcoach       = 
| CollegeHOF     = 
| CFHOF          =  
}}

'''Ladell Betts '''(born August 27, 1979) is an American [[American football|football]] coach and former [[running back]] who is the running backs coach for the [[New York Giants]]. He played [[college football]] for the [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa Hawkeyes]] and was selected by the [[Washington Redskins]] in the second round of the [[2002 NFL draft]].

==Early life==
Betts grew up as an only child with a single mother who worked two and three jobs to make ends meet. He and his mother moved from [[Kansas City, Missouri]], to the suburb of [[Blue Springs, Missouri|Blue Springs]] when Betts was a child, but he remained very close to his father who has always been an active influence on Ladell over the years. He attended [[Blue Springs High School]], where he would become a football star. He was teammates with fellow future NFL player [[Brandon Lloyd]].<ref>[http://www.press-citizen.com/teams/football/2001/iowastate/112201betts.htm Betts Has Been Mr. Consistency For Iowa]</ref>

Betts, who was also a sprinter in high school, gained 1,813 yards and had 34 touchdowns as a high school junior. As a senior, he rushed for 2,183 yards and 32 touchdowns while playing most of the season with a broken right hand. Betts, who led his team to a 10–1 record, was named USA Today's Missouri Player of the Year after earning first-team all-state and all-metro honors. He also earned the [[Thomas Simone Award]], which goes to the best high school player in the [[Kansas City Metropolitan Area|Kansas City]] area, and was named a Parade and SuperPrep All-American.

==College career==
After redshirting in 1997 at the [[University of Iowa]], Betts played in all 11 games as a freshman.  He set school records for rushing yards in a game and a season by a freshman.  Betts led the team in rushing for the season and was Iowa's offensive MVP in four games.  He was an honorable mention [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] selection.

[[1999 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|In 1999]], Betts started all 11 games, led the team in rushing again, and was named Iowa's co-MVP.  He was also a second-team All-Big Ten selection.  As a junior [[2000 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|in 2000]], Betts started every game and accounted for Iowa's entire rushing offense.  He had 1,090 yards rushing in 2000; the Iowa Hawkeye team had 1,090 yards rushing that year.  Betts was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.

Betts again led Iowa in rushing as a senior, starting every game.  He was Iowa's co-captain and co-MVP for the [[2001 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|2001 season]], and he was named second-team All-Big Ten.  He helped lead the Hawkeyes to the [[2001 Alamo Bowl|Alamo Bowl]] that season, but he had only two carries before being forced to leave due to an injury in Iowa's 19–16 win.

Betts started 43 games in his career and finished as [[Iowa Hawkeyes football statistical leaders#Rushing|Iowa's #2 all-time leading rusher]] with 3,686 career yards.  He scored 25 touchdowns in his career and added 702 yards receiving.  He is the only Hawkeye to ever lead the team in rushing in four different seasons.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://hawkeyesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/betts_ladell00.html |title=Betts' Iowa Hawkeye Bio |access-date=July 12, 2006 |archive-date=November 16, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071116115950/http://hawkeyesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/betts_ladell00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Betts came to the [[University of Iowa]] to play for [[College Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] coach [[Hayden Fry]].  But Fry retired after Betts' freshman season, and Betts played his last three years for [[Kirk Ferentz]].

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 10 1/2
|       weight = 220
|         dash = 4.56
|    ten split = 1.58
| twenty split = 2.64
|      shuttle = 4.06
|   cone drill = 7.06
|     vertical = 38.0
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 8
|        bench = 23
|     arm span = 30 1/2
|    hand span = 9
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=145&DraftYear=2002 |title=2002 NFL Draft Scout Ladell Betts College Football Profile |access-date=July 3, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}</ref>
}}

===Washington Redskins===
Betts was drafted in the second round (56th overall) of the [[2002 NFL draft]] by the [[Washington Redskins]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2002/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He played his first game when the Redskins met the [[San Francisco 49ers]] on September 22, 2002.  On December 22, 2002, he set career highs, rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown.  At the end of the season, Betts rushed 65 times for 307 yards his rookie season.  He also had a touchdown of 27 yards.  Betts caught 12 passes for 154 yards which included a 40-yard long.  He led the team in kickoff returns, returning 28 for 690 yards (a 24.6 average).

Betts played nine games in 2003.  He finished the season with 225 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and 59 kick return yards.  Betts also caught 15 passes for 167 yards.  He missed seven games due to a fractured left forearm.

As a backup to [[Clinton Portis]], Betts rushed for 371 yards on 90 carries (4.1 average) and a touchdown in 2004.  He had 15 catches for 108 yards.  His longest run was a 27-yarder against the [[Minnesota Vikings]] when Portis was injured.

Betts missed three games in 2005 due to injury but managed to play in 12.  He finished the season with 338 yards on 89 carries and a touchdown.  He caught ten passes for 78 yards and a touchdown pass.  In Week 10 against the  [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], Betts made his first kickoff return for a touchdown of his career with 94-yarder.<ref>[http://www.redskins.com/team/profile.jsp?id=64 Betts' Washington Redskins Bio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621202354/http://www.redskins.com/team/profile.jsp?id=64 |date=June 21, 2006 }}</ref>

In the 2006 season, Betts set career highs in several different areas as he filled in for the injured Clinton Portis, starting nine games as well as receiving significant carries spelling the end of Portis' tenure.  He totalled 1,154 rushing yards with a 4.7 yards per carry average and four rushing touchdowns.  He also caught 53 passes for 445 yards and one touchdown.

On December 10, 2006, Betts set a career-high with 171 yards rushing in a game.

Betts is the only running back in the history of the Redskins franchise to record consecutive 150 yard rushing games.

In a 2009 preseason game against the [[Baltimore Ravens]], his jersey misspelled his last name as it said Bettis, as most would consider thinking about former [[Steelers]] halfback  [[Jerome Bettis]].

He was released on March 4, 2010.

===New Orleans Saints===
Betts signed a one-year contract for the New Orleans Saints on August 16, 2010. He was cut on September 3, 2010. However, after [[Reggie Bush]] suffered a broken leg in the Saints' second game, the Saints again signed Betts on September 22, 2010.<ref>Gregg Rosenthal, [http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/22/saints-bring-back-betts/ "Saints bring back Betts"], [[Profootballtalk.com]], September 22, 2010.</ref>  He sustained a neck injury and concussion in a Week 11 game against [[Seattle Seahawks|Seattle]], and ultimately was placed on the [[injured reserve list]] on December 8, 2010.<ref>James Varney, [http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2010/12/new_orleans_saints_sign_lb_kaw.html "New Orleans Saints sign LB Kawika Mitchell, place RB Ladell Betts on injured reserve"], ''[[Times-Picayune]]'', December 8, 2010.</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! G !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[2002 NFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 11 || 0 || 65 || 307 || '''4.7''' || '''27''' || 1 || 12 || 154 || '''12.8''' || '''40''' || 0
|-
! [[2003 NFL season|2003]] || [[2003 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 9 || 1 || 77 || 255 || 3.3 || 13 || 2 || 15 || 167 || 11.1 || 34 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NFL season|2004]] || [[2004 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| '''16''' || 1 || 90 || 371 || 4.1 || '''27''' || 1 || 15 || 108 || 7.2 || 20 || 0
|-
! [[2005 NFL season|2005]] || [[2005 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 12 || 0 || 89 || 338 || 3.8 || 22 || 1 || 10 || 78 || 7.8 || 26 || '''1'''
|-
! [[2006 NFL season|2006]] || [[2006 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| '''16''' || '''9''' || '''245''' || '''1,154''' || '''4.7''' || 26 || '''4''' || '''53''' || '''445''' || 8.4 || 34 || '''1'''
|-
! [[2007 NFL season|2007]] || [[2007 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| '''16''' || 0 || 93 || 335 || 3.6 || 20 || 1 || 21 || 174 || 8.3 || 28 || '''1'''
|-
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] || [[2008 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 13 || 0 || 61 || 206 || 3.4 || 14 || 1 || 22 || 200 || 9.1 || 27 || 0
|-
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] || [[2009 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 10 || 2 || 56 || 210 || 3.8 || 18 || 2 || 17 || 179 || 10.5 || 25 || 0
|-
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] || [[2010 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]
| 8 || 1 || 45 || 150 || 3.3 || 12 || 2 || 23 || 141 || 6.1 || 25 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career !! 111 !! 14 !! 821 !! 3,326 !! 4.1 !! 27 !! 15 !! 188 !! 1,646 !! 8.8 !! 40 !! 3<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BettLa00.htm|title= Ladell Betts  |author=   |date=  |publisher= Football-Reference.com  |access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref>
|}

==Coaching career==
Betts joined the coaching staff at his alma mater [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] in 2021.

On February 24, 2025, Betts joined the [[New York Giants]] as the running backs coach on Brian Daboll's staff.
<ref>{{cite web |title=Ladell Betts, George Barnett joining Iowa football staff |url=https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/hawkeyes/iowa-football/ladell-betts-george-barnett-joining-iowa-football-staff-20210315 |website=The Gazette |access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 15, 2021 |title=Barnett, Betts Named to Iowa Football Staff |url=https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2021/03/15/barnett-betts-named-to-iowa-football-staff/ |access-date=17 March 2021 |website=University of Iowa Athletics}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Twitter|ladellbetts46}}
* [https://hawkeyesports.com/coach/329098/ Iowa profile]

{{NFL running back coaches}}
{{Redskins2002DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Betts, Ladell}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Kansas City, Kansas]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Blue Springs, Missouri]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Jackson County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Kansas]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Missouri]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football players]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:New Orleans Saints players]]
[[Category:High school football coaches in Florida]]
[[Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football coaches]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]