Every NFL fan has seen the 49ers being cheered on from the sidelines by the team’s tight end, George Kittle’s wife, Claire. While the former basketball star is known for shining a light on her husband, she briefly shifted her focus to a tight end from the UFL. Her words of support for the player came shortly after his diabetes diagnosis made its way online.

Claire Kittle shouted out Alex Ellis, who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, on her IG story. She shared a post from the UFL that showed young athletes that they can overcome anything to achieve their dreams. Apart from praising the player’s optimistic nature, the 29-year-old also wrote, “The happiest guy in the room! We just love you.”

With type 1 diabetes affecting approximately 1.25 million Americans every year, the DC Defenders and George Kittle’s wife raised awareness about the medical struggle after the tight-end diagnosis was official. Although Ellis might have had a lifelong illness, that did not stop the 31-year-old from putting in the work and reaching his goals.

After all, Ellis might be part of the minor league now. However, he was once a part of various other teams in the NFL. While he never quite made his way to the 49ers, he was signed by a few of the team’s rivals.

Alex Ellis’ journey with the NFL

Alex Ellis was not chosen during the 2016 NFL Draft. However, he was luckily signed to the Tennessee Titans as a free agent. While it might have seemed like a saving grace for him, it did not last long with him being waived later that very year. Luckily, just days later, the now 31-year-old teamed up with the Jacksonville Jaguars and finally got to play his first NFL game against the Bills.

A year after signing his contract with the Jaguars, Ellis ended up being waived off because of roster cuts. While the tight end signed with the Saints just months later, that too did not end well. In fact, he was waived from the team in just 6 short months.

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In 2019, Ellis headed to the Eagles but had to end his contract a little early after a knee injury during a match against the Packers. After that, he made brief appearances with the Patriots, the Raiders, and even the Chiefs. For a brief period there, he even signed to the Cardinals practice squad before making his shift to the UFL.

After being signed to the DC Defenders in 2023, the 31-year-old completed the season with four touchdowns and 8 receptions that wound up with him being re-signed to the team.