In 2022, Mike Bellamy joined the Howard University football program as an offensive quality coach before being promoted to special teams coordinator in 2025. Since his arrival at The Mecca, HU has won two MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Championships and a berth to the Celebration Bowl (2023).
Before Howard, Bellamy returned to Illinois in 2019 after two seasons as wide receivers coach at Toledo (2017-18) and one season as quality control coach/analyst at Mississippi State (2016). Bellamy spent four seasons on the Illinois staff (2012-15), including three as wide receivers coach and was a standout receiver for the Fighting Illini as a student-athlete in 1988 and 1989.
In his first year back, Bellamy helped Illinois to the 2019 Redbox Bowl, the program's first bowl in five years, after two of the most memorable victories in Illini history. During his previous stint in Champaign (2012-15), Bellamy was promoted to Illinois' wide receivers coach in February 2013 after serving one year as assistant director of player personnel and relations (2012).
Before returning to his alma mater, Bellamy served as the receivers and specialists coach at Clark-Atlanta University in 2011.
Prior to that, he was the passing game coordinator, receivers coach and specialists coach at Sprayberry High School (2008-10). Bellamy assisted at camps at Illinois, Virginia and Georgia State, along with the 2010 and 2011 Under Armour Combine and the 2009 and 2010 Georgia High School All-Star game.
As a player at Illinois (1988-89), Bellamy was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten receiver in 1989. He recorded 59 receptions for 927 yards and eight TDs for the Illini that season, the fourth-most TD catches in a season in school history and the ninth-most receiving yards. He also returned 16 kickoffs for 459 yards, an average of 28.7 that ranks second in school history.Â
Bellamy stands second in Illini history in career kickoff return average at 26.4 yards per return, and his 170 kickoff return yards against Indiana on Nov. 18, 1989, remain the single-game school record. He was named one of the top 10 receivers in Illinois history in 2008 and was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame in 2007 for his achievements at the College of DuPage in suburban Chicago.
After earning a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Illinois in 1990, Bellamy was a second-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1990 NFL Draft, playing two seasons for the team. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders from 1992-95 before playing for Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League in 1995-96, winning the World Bowl in 1996.
