Henry Ellard facts for kids

Henry Austin Ellard (born July 21, 1961) is a former American football player. He was a talented wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Henry played for the Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins (now Commanders), and New England Patriots. He also played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Did you know Henry Ellard was also an amazing athlete outside of football? He even tried out for the Olympic Games in 1992 in the triple jump! Unfortunately, he got hurt during the tryouts and couldn't make the team.

Early Life and College Sports

Henry Ellard grew up in Fresno, California. He went to Hoover High School. While there, he showed off his incredible jumping skills. In 1979, he won the California State Championships in the triple jump.

After high school, Henry stayed in Fresno for college. He attended Fresno State University from 1979 to 1982. During his last year, he set a new NCAA record. He gained an amazing 1,510 receiving yards! This means he caught passes for a lot of distance.

At Fresno State, Henry is still one of the top players. He is tied for third in touchdown catches (25). He is fifth in receiving yards (2,947) and eleventh in total catches (138). In 1982, he also set an NCAA record for yards per catch in a season, with 24.4 yards per catch. His quarterback at the time was Jeff Tedford, who later became a coach at Fresno State.

Henry was also a star on the Fresno State track and field team. He was an All-American triple jumper. In 1982, he set a school record in the triple jump. He jumped 55 feet and 0.5 inches, which is still the record today!

Professional Football Career

Henry Ellard was chosen by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1983 NFL draft. He was the 32nd player picked overall.

Playing for the Los Angeles Rams (1983–1993)

When Henry first joined the Rams, he was often used to return kicks and punts. In his first year, he returned 31 kicks and punts for 531 yards. He even scored one touchdown this way! He also caught 16 passes for 268 yards.

The Rams had a great year in 1983, winning nine games. Henry helped them get into the playoffs. In the last game of the season, they needed to beat the New Orleans Saints. The Rams' offense didn't score any touchdowns, but they still won 26-24. Henry helped by returning a punt 72 yards for a touchdown! This was his first touchdown in the NFL.

In 1984, Henry became a starter for the Rams. He caught 34 passes for 622 yards and six touchdowns. He scored eight touchdowns in total that season. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl as a punt returner. He also made the All-Pro team, which means he was one of the best players in the league.

Henry kept getting better in 1985. He caught 54 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns. He had his first game with over 100 receiving yards. The Rams made it to the playoffs again. Henry helped them win against the Dallas Cowboys. He had a 23-yard punt return and a 21-yard catch.

In 1988, Henry Ellard had an amazing year. He caught a career-high 86 passes for 1,414 yards. This was the most receiving yards in the entire league that year! He also scored ten touchdowns. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for December.

He continued his success in 1989. He caught 70 passes for 1,382 yards and eight touchdowns. He led the league again in yards per game. In one game, he caught 12 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns! This was his best game ever. Henry and his teammate Flipper Anderson both had over 1,000 receiving yards that year.

In the 1989 playoffs, Henry had a memorable run. He had his best playoff game with four catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. The Rams made it to the NFC Championship game. However, they lost to the San Francisco 49ers. This was Henry's last playoff game, even though he played for almost ten more years.

Henry continued to play well for the Rams even as the team struggled. In 1990, he caught 76 passes for 1,294 yards. In 1991, he had his fourth straight season with over 1,000 receiving yards. He caught 64 passes for 1,052 yards.

In 1993, Henry caught 61 passes for 945 yards. This was his last season with the Rams. When he left, he held many team records. These included career catches (593), receiving yards (9,761), and games with over 100 receiving yards (26).

Finishing His Career (1994–1998)

After leaving the Rams, Henry joined the Washington Redskins in 1994. Even though the team only won three games, Henry had another great year. He caught 74 passes for 1,397 yards and six touchdowns. He was just 102 yards behind the league leader, Jerry Rice.

In 1995, Henry continued to be the best receiver for the Redskins. He caught 56 passes for 1,005 yards and five touchdowns. The 1996 season was his last big impact year. He caught 52 passes for 1,014 yards. This was his seventh season with over 1,000 receiving yards! He also led the league in yards per catch with 19.5.

Henry played his last NFL games in 1998. He played for the New England Patriots and then briefly returned to Washington. He retired after the 1998 season.

Henry Ellard's Legacy

When Henry Ellard retired in 1998, he had amazing career numbers. He had 814 catches for 13,777 yards. This placed him third on the all-time list for receiving yards at that time. He also scored 65 touchdowns.

Besides receiving, he was also great at returning punts. He gained 1,527 yards returning punts and scored four punt return touchdowns. In total, he gained over 15,718 yards in his career!

Even with these impressive numbers, it took a long time for Henry to be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some people think this is because the Rams moved to St. Louis. Also, he caught passes from many different quarterbacks, not always the most famous ones.

Henry Ellard's career statistics are very similar to those of Andre Reed, who is in the Hall of Fame. Henry played fewer games but had slightly more receiving yards. This shows how talented Henry was. At the time he retired, he was sixth all-time in receptions and third all-time in receiving yards. Most players above him on these lists are in the Hall of Fame. Henry became a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame in 2023.

Henry Ellard is also famous in the video game world! In the classic 1991 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) video game Tecmo Super Bowl, Henry Ellard was one of only two players (the other being Jerry Rice) to have the highest possible rating for receptions.

NFL Career Statistics

Personal Life

Henry Ellard is married to Lillian Ellard. They have three children together: Christiana, Alexandria, and Adriana. Henry also has two older children from a previous marriage, Henry Jr. and Whitney.

Coaching Career

After he stopped playing football, Henry Ellard became a coach. He started as an assistant coach at a high school. Then, he coached track and field at another high school.

In 2000, he coached at Fresno State, his old college. In 2001, he became the wide receivers coach for the St. Louis Rams. He stayed with them until 2008.

Later, he coached wide receivers for the New York Jets from 2009 to 2011. From 2012 to 2014, he was the wide receivers coach for the New Orleans Saints.

From 2016 to 2021, Henry Ellard was the head football coach at San Antonio Christian School. Some of the famous players he coached include Torry Holt, Issac Bruce, and Drew Brees.

Head Coaching Record