Kevin Ellison (American football) facts for kids
Ellison during his college career.
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| Position: | Safety / Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | January 8, 1987 Inglewood, California, U.S. |
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| Died: | October 4, 2018 (aged 31) San Fernando Valley, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Weight: | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, California) |
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| College: | Southern California | ||
| NFL Draft: | 2009 / Round: 6 / Pick: 189 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||
| Career NFL statistics | |||
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Kevin Marcus Ellison (born January 8, 1987 – died October 4, 2018) was an American football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). The San Diego Chargers picked him in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Southern California.
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Kevin Ellison's Early Life and High School Football
Kevin Ellison was born in Inglewood, California, USA. He went to Redondo Union High School. There, he was a star player, excelling as a running back and linebacker.
He earned many awards during his high school years. These included being named Player of the Year by the Los Angeles Times for his area. He was also the All-Area Player of the Year for the South Bay Daily Breeze. Kevin was also named the MVP of the All-Bay League.
By the end of his high school career, he had set impressive records. He rushed for 3,718 yards on 578 carries. He also made 297 tackles.
College Football Career at USC
Kevin Ellison finished high school early. He started at the USC in the spring of 2005. He studied social science economics while playing football.
During his first year, he mostly played as a backup safety. He also played on special teams. The Sporting News chose him for the Pac-10 All-Freshman first-team.
In 2006, Kevin became the main strong safety for his team. He ended the season with 64 tackles, one interception, and 1.5 sacks. He was named to the Collegefootballnews.com Sophomore All-American second-team. He also received an honorable mention for the All-Pac-10 team.
In 2007, Ellison started all 13 games for USC. He finished that season with 57 tackles, two interceptions, and two sacks.
Kevin Ellison's Professional Football Journey
Playing for the San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers picked Kevin Ellison in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. This was his first step into professional football.
He played his first NFL game in week 6 against the Denver Broncos. In that game, he made 7 tackles. The Chargers later let him go on June 21, 2010.
Time with the Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks picked up Kevin Ellison on June 22, 2010. This happened after the Chargers let him go. He was briefly released again but then signed back with the Seahawks. This reunited him with his college coach. However, the Seahawks released him on September 5, 2010.
Coaching High School Football
In September 2011, Kevin Ellison became a coach. He took on the role of Defensive Coordinator at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, California. His brothers, Keith and Chris, also joined him as coaches. Keith coached the Linebackers, and Chris coached the Defensive Backs.
Personal Life
Kevin Ellison came from a family of football players. His brother, Keith, played as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. Another brother, Chris, played college football for BYU in 1997 and 1998.
Kevin Ellison passed away in October 2018 when he was 31 years old.
In September 2019, scientists at Boston University studied tissue samples from his brain. They found that he had Stage II chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This condition is sometimes found in athletes who have had many head impacts.
Images for kids
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Ellison during his college career.
