Former Cal and NFL RB CJ Anderson Named Head Coach at Monte Vista HS

Former Cal and NFL running back CJ Anderson has been named the head football coach at Monte Vista High School in Danville, the school announced via social media on Tuesday.

Anderson replaces Matt Russi, who stepped down after the Mustangs went 0-6 this past season, which was played in the spring.

Anderson played in three Super Bowls and was the Denver Broncos leading rusher in their Super Bowl victory over Carolina following the 2015 season.

Following his retirement after seven years in the NFL, Anderson became a volunteer assistant coach at Cal last October.

Now he becomes the head coach at a Bay Area high school with a rich football tradition. Anderson has never been a head coach at any level.

The hiring of Anderson comes one month after St. Mary's High School in Berkeley named former Cal an NFL running back Jahvid Best as its head coach.

Proud and excited to announce CJ Anderson as the next head football coach at Monte Vista. Can’t wait to get started. Go Stangs! @cjandersonb22 @KAnderson311 @MVHS_Football @MVHSAthletes @DarrenSabedra @MitchMashMax @leftwich pic.twitter.com/CWtcpNGUPo
— Monte Vista Athletics (@_MV_Athletics) June 15, 2021

I am honored and Humble to be the next head football coach at @MVHS_Football. Thank you Andy and Craig for believing in me. I PROMISE to give my all to program it’s going to take all of us a village. For the people in my corner thank you. Excited to work!!!! #WeNotMe pic.twitter.com/RZoIQnLRfV
— Cj Anderson (@cjandersonb22) June 15, 2021

Anderson had to work his way up at Cal. He played two seasons for the Golden Bears (2011 and 2012) after playing two seasons of junior-college ball at Laney College in Oakland.

He rushed for 790 yards as a senior at Cal, but Isi Sofele was the Bears' primary starting running back that season.

Anderson was not taken in the 2013 NFL draft, and signed with Denver as a free agent.

He became a starter in his second season with the Broncos (2014) and was selected to the Pro Bowl that year.

In 2015, he rushed for 720 yards and caught 25 passes. In the Broncos' 24-10 Super Bowl win over Carolina that season, Anderson rushed for 90 yards and scored a touchdown.

Anderson's best season was 2017, when he rushed for 1,007 yards, but the Broncos released him after that season.

He was picked up by the Rams late in the 2018 season and became a force in their run to the Super Bowl. He ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns in Los Angeles' opening-round postseason win over Dallas, but he was limited to 22 yards in the Rams' 13-3 loss to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Cover photo of CJ Anderson during his short stay with the Detroit Lions is by Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports.

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by searching: @si.calsportsreport or going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport