Allan Ellis obit

Allan Ellis passes away at age 62

 

He was not on the list.

Former Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Allan Ellis passed away Wednesday in Chicago. He was 62.

Ellis was selected by the Bears in the fifth round of the 1973 draft. Appearing in 94 games with 76 starts in seven seasons, he recorded 22 interceptions, tied for 11th in team history with Hall of Fame middle linebackers Dick Butkus and Brian Urlacher.

Ellis attended last weekend's Bears alumni festivities in Chicago.

"I'm totally shocked because I had heard that he was doing pretty well and helping coach a [grade school] team and things like that," said former Bears guard Dan Jiggetts, Ellis' teammate from 1976-80. "To see something like this, it is shocking. He was only 62.

"Allan was one of the coolest characters you'd ever meet. He always had a good laugh for everybody and was just a lot of fun to be around."

Ellis became the first Bears cornerback to be voted to the Pro Bowl in 1977 when he had six interceptions for the second straight season. He finished his career in 1981 with the San Diego Chargers, appearing in 11 games with six starts.

"He was an outstanding corner," Jiggetts said. "He was a shutdown corner in the days before they used that term. He was fabulous. I think he ran as fast in his backpedal as he did forward."

Former Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Allan Ellis, 62, died unexpectedly Wednesday in Chicago, the team confirmed Thursday.

Marc May, secretary of the NFL Alumni Chicago chapter, said he and Ellis had watched Sunday's Bears-Vikings game together on TV at Ellis' South Shore home. May, who played tight end briefly with the Vikings, said a heart attack was the suspected cause of death.

Ellis, who had 22 career interceptions in seven seasons for the Bears, was a fifth-round draft pick out of UCLA in 1973. He became the first Bears cornerback to be named to the Pro Bowl after the 1977 season, when he had six interceptions.

May, who now coaches football at St. Laurence High School, said he and Ellis were working together on an NFL legends website project called "Life in the Fast Lane." Ellis' nickname was "Fast."

"He was such an engaging, colorful personality," May said. "I told him, 'We can film you just doing your natural stuff. It would be must-see TV.'"

Former Bears teammate Kris Haines, a wide receiver from Notre Dame who now teaches physical education at the Catherine Cook School in Chicago and coaches at Niles West, said he spoke with Ellis last weekend during Bears alumni events.

"We were at our alumni gathering Saturday night and he seemed all right," Haines said. "He said I will see you on Wednesday."

Ellis had been coaching a flag football team at Catherine Cook School and was scheduled to coach the team Wednesday.

"I was kind of alarmed (when he didn't show up)," Haines said. "I got a call from his girlfriend (Patty Johnson) and she said he just had a (flu) bug or something.

"Then I got a call from her about two hours later saying that he had passed. I don't know if he was sick; I don't think so. At least he didn't tell me.

"He was a great man and well loved. He taught me a lot … a great guy. The kids (at Catherine Cook) loved him and they were crying. I had to tell them that, so it was kind of traumatic for me."

Born Aug. 19, 1951, in Los Angeles, Ellis finished his NFL career with the Chargers in 1981.

"I went up against him every day in practice," Haines said. "One of the kindest men there ever was. We were doing the Chicago youth camps together and we would hook up in the summers. He had been doing the youth camps as long as I have, which I think is 10 years. He has been in Chicago the whole time, I don't think he ever left."

Ellis and Haines became immediate friends.

"I was kind of high strung and I remember the first day of practice," Haines said. "(Ellis) said: 'Easy, rookie. Easy, dude.' I just remember his way. Just a great defensive back."