Former Naval Academy Football Player Remembered After D.C. Plane Crash

A former Navy Midshipmen football player was among those killed in the tragic D.C. plane crash last week.
Emergency messages are displayed on screens at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after an American Airlines passenger jet with 64 people aboard collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
Emergency messages are displayed on screens at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after an American Airlines passenger jet with 64 people aboard collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter. / Megan Smith / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The tragedy that occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has been widely considered the most horrendous airline occurrence in the last decade, and a former Navy Midshipmen football player has been listed among those who were killed.

American Airlines flight 5342 was about to land at Reagan National just before 9:00 p.m. local time when an Army helicopter collided with the passenger jet, sending both aircraft into the Potomac River.

64 people were aboard the American Airlines flight, with three soldiers on the Army Black Hawk helicopter. All 67 have been pronounced dead.

Among the 64 was former member of the Midshipmen football team and United States Marine Brian Ellis.

Ellis served as Navy's backup quarterback in 1991 and 1992, after being the star in the same position at Morrow High School in Georgia.

In college, Ellis tallied 295 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions on 28-of-73 passing across 22 games.

“Our hearts go out to all those who experienced loss through this devastating event,” said John Schofield, a spokesperson for the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association. “Among those on board was one of our own — Brian Ellis ’93, a former Navy football player and proud graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and the entire Naval Academy community who mourn his passing.”

Ellis graduated from the Naval Academy in 1993, and friends said that he was a proud Marine and hardworking father who would drop everything to help another person.

Thoughts and prayers from all of us here at Armed Forces Sports go out to Brian Ellis and his family, as well as everyone affected by this horrendous tragedy.


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