Ellison wurde im NFL-Draft 1983 in der fünften Runde an 117. Stelle von den San Francisco 49ers ausgewählt. Hier blieb er sieben Jahre und gewann mit den 49ers drei Super-Bowl-Titel. In seiner letzten Saison für die 49ers brach er sich den Arm und wurde auf die Injured Reserve List gesetzt.[1]
Oakland Raiders
Zur Saison 1990 unterschrieb Ellison einen Vertrag bei den Los Angeles Raiders. Hier blieb er drei Jahre, ehe er seine Karriere beendete.[2]
Persönliches
Ellison besitzt eine Māori-Abstammung.[3] Sein Sohn Rhett Ellison spielt neun Jahre lang in der NFL. Weitere Familienangehörige spielten, bzw. spielen aktuell höherklassig Super Rugby.[4]
4 Max Runager | 6 Matt Cavanaugh | 14 Ray Wersching | 16 Joe Montana(MVP) | 19 Tom Orosz | 21 Eric Wright | 22 Dwight Hicks | 24 Derrick Harmon | 26 Wendell Tyler | 27 Carlton Williamson | 28 Tom Holmoe | 29 Mario Clark | 30 Bill Ring | 32 Carl Monroe | 33 Roger Craig | 42 Ronnie Lott | 43 Dana McLemore | 49 Jeff Fuller | 50 Riki Ellison | 50 Jim Looney | 51 Randy Cross | 52 Blanchard Montgomery | 53 Milt McColl | 54 Ron Ferrari | 55 Jim Fahnhorst | 56 Fred Quillan | 57 Dan Bunz | 58 Keena Turner | 61 Jesse Sapolu | 62 Guy McIntyre | 64 Jack Reynolds | 65 Lawrence Pillers | 66 Allan Kennedy | 67 Billy Shields | 67 John Macaulay | 68 John Ayers | 71 Keith Fahnhorst | 72 Jeff Stover | 74 Fred Dean | 75 John Harty | 76 Dwaine Board | 77 Bubba Paris | 78 Manu Tuiasosopo | 79 Jim Stuckey | 81 Russ Francis | 83 Renaldo Nehemiah | 84 Al Dixo | 85 Mike Wilson | 86 John Frank | 87 Dwight Clark | 88 Freddie Solomon | 89 Earl Cooper | 90 Todd Shell | 94 Louie Kelcher | 95 Michael Carter | 97 Gary Johnson | 98 Greg Boyd | 99 Mike Walter | Head Coach:Bill Walsh | Coaches:Paul Hackett | Tommy Hart | Norb Hecker | Sherman Lewis | Bobb McKittrick | Bill McPherson | George Seifert | Chuck Studley | Fred von Appen
4 Max Runager | 6 Mike Cofer | 8 Steve Young | 9 Barry Helton | 15 John Paye | 16 Joe Montana | 20 Tory Nixon | 21 Eric Wright | 22 Tim McKyer | 24 Harry Sydney | 25 Doug DuBose | 26 Darryl Pollard | 29 Don Griffin | 31 Chet Brooks | 32 Terrence Flagler | 33 Roger Craig | 35 Del Rodgers | 38 Greg Cox | 42 Ronnie Lott | 44 Tom Rathman | 46 Tom Holmoe | 49 Jeff Fuller | 50 Riki Ellison | 51 Randy Cross | 53 Bill Romanowski | 54 Ron Hadley | 55 Jim Fahnhorst | 57 Sam Kennedy | 58 Keena Turner | 60 Chuck Thomas | 61 Jesse Sapolu | 62 Guy McIntyre | 65 Jeff Bregel | 67 Pete Kugler | 69 Bruce Collie | 72 Jeff Stover | 74 Steve Wallace | 75 Kevin Fagan | 76 Dwaine Board | 77 Bubba Paris | 78 Pierce Holt | 79 Harris Barton | 80 Jerry Rice(MVP) | 82 John Taylor | 83 Terry Greer | 84 Brent Jones | 85 Mike Wilson | 86 John Frank | 88 Calvin Nicholas | 89 Ron Heller | 91 Larry Roberts | 92 Kevin Lilly | 94 Charles Haley | 95 Michael Carter | 96 Danny Stubbs | 97 Doug Mikolas | 99 Mike Walter | Head Coach:Bill Walsh | Coaches:Dennis Green | Tommy Hart | Mike Holmgren | Sherman Lewis | Bobb McKittrick | Bill McPherson | Ray Rhodes | George Seifert | Lynn Stiles | Fred von Appen
6 Mike Cofer | 8 Steve Young | 9 Barry Helton | 13 Steve Bono | 16 Joe Montana(MVP) | 21 Eric Wright | 22 Tim McKyer | 23 Spencer Tillman | 24 Harry Sydney | 26 Darryl Pollard | 27 Mike Richardson | 30 Keith Henderson | 31 Chet Brooks | 32 Terrence Flagler | 33 Roger Craig | 40 Johnnie Jackson | 42 Ronnie Lott | 44 Tom Rathman | 46 Tom Holmoe | 49 Jeff Fuller | 50 Riki Ellison | 53 Bill Romanowski | 54 Matt Millen | 55 Jim Fahnhorst | 56 Steve Hendrickson | 58 Keena Turner | 59 Keith DeLong | 60 Chuck Thomas | 61 Jesse Sapolu | 62 Guy McIntyre | 63 Jim Burt | 64 Rollin Putzier | 65 Jeff Bregel | 66 Terry Tausch | 67 Pete Kugler | 69 Bruce Collie | 74 Steve Wallace | 75 Kevin Fagan | 77 Bubba Paris | 78 Pierce Holt | 79 Harris Barton | 80 Jerry Rice | 81 Jamie Williams | 82 John Taylor | 83 Terry Greer | 84 Brent Jones | 85 Mike Wilson | 86 Mike Barber | 88 Mike Sherrard | 89 Wesley Walls | 91 Larry Roberts | 92 Kevin Lilly | 94 Charles Haley | 95 Michael Carter | 96 Danny Stubbs | 98 Antonio Goss | 99 Mike Walter | Head Coach:George Seifert | Coaches:Tommy Hart | Mike Holmgren | Al Lavan | Sherman Lewis | Bobb McKittrick | Bill McPherson | Ray Rhodes | Lynn Stiles | Bob Zeman
Riki Ellison at CAFB 071128-F-0870P-002 crop.JPG Ricky Ellison, former linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, signs an autograph for Tech. Sgt. Eric Hale, 437th Airlift Wing Protocol Office. Mr Ellison spoke to Airmen about professional development, his football career and missile defense systems at the Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., theater.