PAYTON AWARD: Complete history of the top FCS offensive honor
Mellott received the Payton Award two days before playing in the 2024-25 FCS Championship game, his second appearance of his career. In 12 regular season games, the Bobcat quarterback completed 148 of 216 passes (68.5 percent) for 1,956 yards, 22 touchdowns and just one interceptions. He also ran for 640 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading Montana State to an undefeated record.
We Are All Witnesses⚡️@Tommy_Mellott #BobcatBuilt | #CATS pic.twitter.com/awenL3z6lc
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) December 15, 2024
Mellott is the 27th quarterback to win the Payton Award — the most of any position — since the award debuted in 1987. Quarterbacks have won the Payton Award in each of the last nine seasons and 20 of the last 21 seasons, with wide receiver Cooper Kupp's 2015 win being the lone exception.
As the 2024 Walter Payton Award winner, Mellott joins an elite fraternity of FCS greats including Steve McNair (Alcorn State, 1994), Adrian Peterson (Georgia Southern, 1999), Brian Westbrook (Villanova, 2001), Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois, 2002), Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington, 2015) and more.
UNBELIEVABLE 😱
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) December 21, 2024
TOMMY MELLOTT IS HIM.
📺 ABC@Tommy_Mellott | #BobcatBuilt pic.twitter.com/hUWw85AtgA
MORE AWARDS: Buck Buchanan Award history | Jerry Rice Award history
Top moments
See some more of Mellott's top moments from 2024 below.
76-YARD CRIB CALL @Tommy_Mellott 🏠☎️#BobcatBuilt | #CATS pic.twitter.com/xFQwQMeSgx
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) November 2, 2024
𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗥𝗜 ⛽️@Tommy_Mellott x @tym4_ #BobcatBuilt | #CATS pic.twitter.com/0wLCBF8zvO
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) November 2, 2024
TOMMY MELLOTT MAGIC 😱@Tommy_Mellott x @Rohan_Jones2 pic.twitter.com/kmQWZuAh6V
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) November 17, 2024
ABSOLUTE DIME 🎯@Tommy_Mellott x @Rohan_Jones2 pic.twitter.com/mXNAQ6MZWV
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) November 23, 2024
50 Yard BOMB 💣@Tommy_Mellott x @tym4_ #BobcatBuilt | #CATS pic.twitter.com/GPCyCKnS5H
— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) October 5, 2024