Every single player who has ever suited up and started a game has dreamed of his day in the NFL, or on a pro team. Sometimes that dream isn’t as simple as just going pro, sometimes it’s the journey, not the destination.
Anthony Ellison has one of those journeys that will always be greater than any destination. We had a chance to sit down with the 6’2” 210-pound wide receiver, and his journey through the football world is wild.
Table of Contents
Getting it started:
He would stand out in high school, earning him looks from coast to coast. Originally, Anthony Ellison committed to LSU of the SEC before decommitting and ultimately ending up at Boise State. His dreams would get a little bigger than the moment, and a little bad advice would see him leave the Broncos early to pursue a career in the CFL. Sadly, he wouldn’t exactly make the team in Canada.
Finding a place:
Coming out of the disappointment, the football-hungry dreamer would hit the Arena Ranks, starting with the Kearney Hawks for the 2015 season. Anthony Ellison would have varied success in his time there and would continue to push for more.
The 2016 season would see a big upgrade in his career. After attending workouts and combines, he would be signed to the Dallas Cowboys practice squad. Ultimately, and not unusual in the NFL, he would be released and move on.
The recurring theme you’ll find with Anthony Ellison is that he is always looking up. Always looking for the next opportunity, and the 2017 Georgia Firebirds would be just that opportunity he was looking for, despite the 2-9 record he would once again stand out. The Firebirds would fold following the season, but he wouldn’t.
Later the same season he would see yet another push on an ill-fated Indoor Football team, this time with the IFL’s Wichita Falls Nighthawks. A solid finish to the season would wind down, but a dream to play outdoors again would grow. In all of this, he would also make a short-lived stop with the Texas Revolution, which also folded. At this point the arena game and relative instability were beginning to wear on his love of the game, but not enough to quit.
Nos vemos en México
That urge, his talent, and yet another opportunity would meet in Chihuahua City, Mexico. This time, it was with the Chihuahua Caudillos, a then-brand-new team in the Fútbol Americano de México (FAM). He would go on to start the vast majority of his games for the Caudillos, and then the Marlins. In his time in pro Mexican American football, he had crazy success.
The only time Anthony Ellison wasn’t on the field, he was injured. There was a lot of positivity about the FAM and LFA. He reminisced about flying all over the country, and the fanbases he encountered. His career in the FAM would end around the same time the league would in 2022, and he would come back Stateside, and take a break.
This is the point in the conversation when we began to realize that this wasn’t an ordinary football career, and it wasn’t nearly over for thirty-year-old Anthony Ellison.
What’s next for the Arena Rebound?
Well, he recently trained and worked out with the Texans after a couple of years out of the sport as a player. While out of playing he has kept his football IQ fresh. He coached WR’s/Offense this past season at OBJ High School. All the while he has looked for the chance to get back on the field. In 2026 we will see Anthony Ellison on a roster once again.
As of this month, he has signed to play for the Wyoming Cavalry of the AIF. The Cavalry is an expansion team in the six-team league, and they are flexible with his schedule and overall seemed to be a solid fit for him and his chances of a rebound. While he will suit up and play, he does have plans to attend a showcase in Texas just days before his season in the AIF begins. As mentioned above, he is always looking for a way to move up.
His confidence in his ability is strong, but the goals for the 2026 season are stronger. Anthony Ellison has plans to lead the league in every stat category he can and take a few snaps from center. “If I don’t at least have two or three touchdowns a game…I won’t be where I need to be” is how the conversation on his goals ended, and that’s no small task in any league, though we are under the impression it’s very possible.
Despite the lofty goals, we definitely found that a healthy dose of humility is what has pushed him this far. The self-proclaimed team player seemed just as eager to contribute as he was to move up. Don’t be surprised if you see Ellison in multiple leagues at different points in the year, while holding strong to his team-first mentality.
Speaking of different leagues you can’t leave out his other options. Even if his playing career ended tomorrow he wouldn’t be far from the game. After the arena season ends he has plans to put on the headset and coach for the Texas Syndicate, a team in the recently re-founded CoFL (Continental Football League). As you can tell he is a football guy and will always find his way onto a sideline.
Reality Star?
During our conversation, it was revealed that a Tubi Series may be in the works. About what? Well, the show is supposed to feature Anthony Ellison and the Cavalry. We haven’t seen anything similar to this since the documentaries on the Mass Pirates and LA Kiss!
The series is to be called “A Day In the Life,” and according to Ellison, it is to premiere in June or July of 2026! We look forward to it, and not just the show, but seeing a very deserving player re-enter and play in the Indoor space again! Check the flyer below for more info, and we at Shady Sports will bring you up-to-date information as the off-season winds to a close!
Overall, it was refreshing and entertaining to listen to his career, it was the kind of conversation that you almost didn’t want to end. Jump over to the AIF’s YouTube on Valentine’s Day and watch #3 make his debut, we at Shady Sports sure will.
If you want to check out Anthony Ellison’s Highlights Click HERE.
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