FOOTBALL

Roster  |  Coaches  |  Schedule / Results  |  News

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Former University at Buffalo football standout Ed Ellis signed a one-year contract with the New York Giants this week.

Ellis, an eight-year veteran, has played 54 NFL games with seven starts. He has previously played for New England, Washington and San Diego.

In 2003, Ellis, 6-7, 325, was in training camp with the Denver Broncos. He was released on Aug. 31 and remained free until the Chargers signed him on Dec. 17. Ellis played two games for San Diego, including a start at left tackle in the regular season finale against Oakland.

A big, tough tackle who has played on both the right and left sides, Ellis entered the NFL as the New England Patriots' fourth-round pick (125th overall) in the 1997 draft - UB's first NFL selection since returning to Division I play in 1993. He played in one game as a rookie and nine games in three seasons with the Patriots.

Ellis was released by New England on July 17, 2000 and signed three days later by Washington. He played 12 games for the Redskins, exclusively on special teams.

After becoming a free agent, Ellis was signed by the Chargers on April 2, 2001. He played in all 16 games with two starts that year. Ellis also blocked a field goal attempt - in the waning seconds to preserve a win against the Buffalo Bills - and a PAT that season. In 2002, Ellis played in 15 games with three starts at left tackle. He blocked Jason Elam's field goal attempt at Denver on Oct. 6.

Ellis was a three-year starter for the Bulls, where he earned All-Independent honors from The Sporting News as a junior and All-America honors from the Gridiron Report the following year. Ellis helped the 1996 team to an 8-3 record, narrowly missing the Division I-AA playoffs.

In his prep days, Ellis led Hamden (CT) High School to three district titles. He was born on Oct. 13, 1975.

Ellis returns to the NFL where he joins former Bull Omari Jordan (Carolina Panthers), while three other ex-Buffalo stars are currently in NFL Europe: Drew Haddad, David Pruce (allocated by the New England Patriots) and Andre Forde (allocated by the Chicago Bears).