Former Naval Academy quarterback Brian Ellis leaves behind his loving and supportive wife, Amy.
Lt. Col. Brian Ellis, a 1993 graduate of the Naval Academy, was among the 67 victims of the January 29, 2025, Wednesday night’s place crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Highlights
- Brian Ellis played 22 games for the Navy football team as quarterback during the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
- Ellis married Amy and had two children: Jack and Luke Ellis.
- He fractured his jaw during the match against Boston College.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, John Schofield, said,
“Our hearts go out to all those who experienced loss through this devastating event,” . “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.”
John Schofield
The Charlottesville, Virginia, resident spent more than two decades in the U.S. Marine Corps and most recently worked as a senior manager at Deloitte.
Brian Ellis, 53, was born on March 25, 1971, as James Brian Ellis attended Morrow High School in Georgia, where he was a star quarterback on the football team and a talented trombone player.
In 1989, he attended the Naval Academy and quickly met three men who became lifelong friends: Chad Chatlos, Mark McGinnis, and Che Bolden.
All four played on the Navy football team, and Ellis was a quarterback. According to College Football Reference, he played 22 games for the Navy during the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
He was the backup quarterback heading into the 1992 season but started after Jim Kubiak dislocated his shoulder in the opening game.
Ellis was injured in the next game against Boston College when he fractured his jaw. He spent about two months with his jaw wired shut but made it back for the last game of the year against the Army.
However, he will be remembered forever for his unforgettable contribution to the Naval football team.
Brian Ellis Had Two Children With His Wife Amy
Former Naval football team quarterback Brian Ellis was married to Amy Ellis.
Brian and Amy were blessed with their first child, a son, Jack Ellis, 24, in 2001. He completed his graduation from George Mason University.
In 2003, they welcomed their second child, Luke Ellis, 22, who is a senior at Purdue University.
Ellis and his wife have managed to keep their married life private. Sadly, their married life ended following the tragic death of Brian Ellis in a plane crash in Washington, D.C., on January 29, 2025.
Amy and her children are mourning Brian Ellis’s passing. Close friends and relatives have condoned Ellis’s family and encouraged them to stay strong during this challenging time.
Brian was an American Airlines Flight 5342 passenger returning home from Kansas after a work trip.
The plane was about to land before 9 P.M. when an Army Helicopter collided with the jet, plunging both aircraft into the Potomac River.
According to the reports, the plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the Potomac River.
The parts of a jet were found upside-down in three sections in waist-deep water.
American Airlines has not released the names of all passengers aboard Flight 5342, but Ellis’s family permitted his name to be made public.
Additional Information
- Following retirement from the Marine Corps, Ellis worked as a government representative for Deloitte.
- Ellis lived with his friend Bolden while they underwent basic school training at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. They stayed together again during flight school in Pensacola and played semi-pro football for the Lucky Green team in the North Florida Football League.
- His last assignment in the Marine Corps was as a speechwriter for Gen. James F. Amos, 35th commandant of the Marine Corps.
