Ellis Hobbs facts for kids

Ellis Hue Hobbs III, born on May 16, 1983, is a former American professional football player. He played as a cornerback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Ellis Hobbs played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones.

He was chosen by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played for the Patriots from 2005 to 2008. In April 2009, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He played for the Eagles from 2009 to 2010. Sadly, a neck injury ended his career early.

Hobbs once held the NFL record for the longest kickoff return. He ran 108 yards for a touchdown on September 9, 2007. This amazing play happened in a game against the New York Jets. Later, this record was broken by a 109-yard return in 2013.

Early Life and Sports

Ellis Hobbs grew up in DeSoto, Texas. He went to DeSoto High School. There, he was a star in both football and track.

In track, he was part of relay teams and competed in the long jump. For football, he was a great running back. He ran for over 1,700 yards and scored 29 touchdowns. He also caught passes for more than 260 yards and three touchdowns.

College Football Journey

Hobbs played college football at Iowa State University. He was a starter at right cornerback for three years. During his time, he made 209 tackles. He also had two sacks and 29 pass deflections.

He was also very good at returning kicks. He gained 490 yards from 24 kick returns. In his senior year, he was named to the All-Big 12 Conference first-team. Hobbs also earned the Academic Athlete of the Year Award. He finished his degree in art and design in 2009.

Professional NFL Career

Ellis Hobbs joined the NFL in 2005. He played for two different teams during his career.

Playing for the New England Patriots

First Seasons (2005–2006)

In his first year (2005), Hobbs helped the Patriots a lot. He became a starting cornerback for the last eight games. He made three interceptions. He also had a key 35-yard kickoff return in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In 2006, Hobbs faced some challenges. He broke his wrist early in the season. Despite this, he made two interceptions. He also returned a kickoff for 93 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans. This was his first career kickoff return touchdown. He played well in the 2006 playoffs. He broke up several passes that could have been touchdowns.

Record-Breaking Years (2007–2008)

On September 9, 2007, Ellis Hobbs made NFL history. He returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown against the New York Jets. This set a new record for the longest kickoff return. It also tied the record for the longest play ever in the NFL at that time.

Later in 2007, he got his first NFL sack. He also forced a fumble. In another game, he recovered a fumble and returned it for his second touchdown of the season. In Week 17, he intercepted a pass from Eli Manning. This helped the Patriots complete a perfect 16–0 season. He also intercepted Manning again in Super Bowl XLII.

In 2008, Hobbs continued to shine. He intercepted three passes. He also set a Patriots team record for kick return yards in one game (237 yards). He returned another kickoff for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. This earned him the Special Teams Player of the Week award. He ended the season as one of the best kick returners in the NFL.

Time with the Philadelphia Eagles

In 2009, the Patriots traded Ellis Hobbs to the Philadelphia Eagles. He became the Eagles' main kick returner. However, in November 2009, he was placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury.

The Eagles re-signed him for the 2010 season. He was expected to be a starting cornerback. But on November 21, 2010, he suffered another neck injury during a game. This injury was serious. He announced his retirement from football on July 28, 2011.