Ellis was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round 1980 NFL draft,[6] but was cut by the team in his first preseason and was claimed by the Green Bay Packers in free agency during the opening stages of the 1980 season.[7] After rising to starting fullback in the middle of September 1980, Ellis scored his first career NFL touchdown against the Rams.[8] He set Packers single-season team records for total offense by a running back and receiving yards by a running back in 1981,[7] accumulating more than a quarter of Green Bay's total offensive yards.[9] On September 30, 1984, Ellis caught a lateral from James Lofton as time expired against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, scoring a touchdown and sending the game into overtime. The Packers unfortunately lost the game in overtime.[10] After playing at fullback from 1980 to 1983, Ellis moved to running back before 1984.[6] He led the Packers in rushing in both 1983 and 1984,[11] and returned kicks for the Packers in 1985.[12]
Before the 1987 season, Ellis was volunteering at a football camp for underserved youth and tore his Achilles tendon while working out, never to step on an NFL field again.[13]
Ellis grew up in Columbia, Missouri with eight siblings, where he competed in track and field and set Central Missouri Conference records in discus and shot put.[16] While attending college at the University of Missouri, Ellis majored in education.[8] He invested in real estate as a side job during his football career.[4]
References
^"Gerry Ellis". PackersNews.com. Retrieved February 5, 2020.