20 Facts About Riki Ellison

Riki Ellison was known as Riki Gray while playing college football for the USC Trojans, earning all-conference honors in the Pac-10 in 1982.

Riki Ellison is the first New Zealander to play in the NFL and the first New Zealander to win a Super Bowl.

Riki Ellison played for the Amphitheater Panthers in Tucson, Arizona, where he won a State Championship in 1975.

Riki Ellison was the first All American at Amphitheater High School, and in 1977, he won Arizona Player of the Year.

Riki Ellison is a member of the Pima County Hall of Fame.

Riki Ellison was part of a USC Trojans team that won two Rose Bowls in 1979 and 1980 and won a National Championship.

Riki Ellison was a four-year starter, beginning his Freshman year on the 1978 National Championship team.

Riki Ellison graduated from USC with a degree in international relations with a graduate emphasis on defense and strategic studies.

That year, Riki Ellison was named to the All-Rookie Team and the next season named on the All Madden Team and he was an alternate All-Pro at the end of his career with the Raiders.

Riki Ellison played in the same defensive backfield alongside Ronnie Lott for 12 seasons at USC, 49ers and Raiders.

Riki Ellison won three Super Bowls during his seven years with the 49ers.

Riki Ellison played his final three seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders.

Riki Ellison's career included winning 3 Super Bowls, playing in 5 championship games.

In 2017, Riki Ellison was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.

Riki Ellison declined to seek renewal of his contract, and resigned in March 2003.

Riki Ellison is of Maori descent, born in Christchurch, New Zealand.

At eight, Riki Ellison moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with his father, Dan, who went on to become an economic advisor to the United Nations.

Shortly thereafter, Riki Ellison's parents divorced and he relocated with his mother to Los Angeles, where she remarried Dennis Gray and moved to Beaver Creek Ranch, Rimrock, Arizona.

Rhett Riki Ellison was the Captain of the USC football team and was drafted into the NFL playing for 8 years as a tight end for the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants.

In 2009, NZ On Air made a documentary about Riki Ellison titled The Defender.