Not only does New York Giants tight end Rhett Ellison have to settle into a new team and a new offense, there’s a whole lot of off the field changes that he needs to worry about. The former Minnesota Vikings tight end is acclimating to his new life in the tri-state area and all the changes that come with it.
Including finding a good gynecologist.
That’s not a joke.
As if a new city and a different offense weren’t enough, Ellison and his wife are expecting their first child this year. That can make things tricky, especially when you’re moving time zones and from the Midwest to the East Coast and now have to make plans for the most important thing that will happen in their marriage to this point.
All this while learning an offense and adjusting to your new role.
“My wife and I are expecting our first baby, so that was number one. We had to get a new OBGYN and figure out where we’re going to have this baby,” Ellison said. “Then, it’s like, ‘Where are we going to live? What are we going to do with our living situation in Minnesota?’ And then it gets to the playbook, and that’s where we are at right now. So there are adjustments in every aspect of your life when you change teams.”
Ellison came to the Giants with a reputation as a very good blocking tight end, a player who understands his assignments and technically does well. But he isn’t known as a real threat on offense in the truest sense.
That is, not until this summer where he’s shown flashes of being a reliable outlet in the passing game.
Before coming to the Giants, his best year came in 2014 when he had 19 catches for 208 yards and a touchdown. But his performance this year including his work at fullback has earned him a nod at the top of the depth chart at tight end, showcasing a part of his game that perhaps was under-utilized during his five years with the Vikings.
“It’s early right now; it’s training camp. Tight ends are very situation-specific when it comes to who’s out there and what play it is and stuff like that,” Ellison said. But it is exciting.”
During his five NFL seasons, all in Minnesota, Ellison has 51 receptions for 515 yards and three touchdowns.
