By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
ROCKINGHAM — Miami Dolphins General Manager Dennis Hickey should expect to hear from Hamlet in the very near future.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
NFL linebacker and former Richmond Raider Dannell Ellerbe, left, connects with seniors while distributing Thanksgiving meals last mont at the Richmond County Aging Services building in Rockingham. Ellerbe has offered to fund Christmases for 59 county children.
No, not for another football standout. He also has former Richmond Senior star Dannell Ellerbe as his starting weak side linebacker. In this case, the call would be from Dr. Cindy Goodman, superintendent of Richmond County Schools. You see, Goodman wants Ellerbe’s jersey number changed.
Ellerbe could have easily taken the money and run — from Richmond County, from poverty — from all of North Carolina. He also could have never given a second thought to his hometown after signing a five-year, $35 million free agent contact and relocated to Florida. But the 29-year-old Super Bowl champion is better than that.
At Thanksgiving, Ellerbe funded a Christmas meal for 85 county seniors and their family members and handed out the meals himself — along with, of course, the help of his wife, Shervella, his young son and friends. Even then, Ellerbe decided that wasn’t enough. Instead of focusing solely on his rehabilitation from a hip injury that has sidelined him this entire NFL season, Ellerbe wanted to do more.
On Friday, Goodman announced that Ellerbe has reached out with desire to fund an entire Christmas “for 59 children in our district that might not have Christmas otherwise.”
Why 59? Because, Goodman, 59 is Ellerbe’s jersey number.
“I’m glad he’s not like No. 10 or something,” Goodman said. “I’ll see if I can get him moved up to 99.”
Ellerbe played a key role in the Baltimore Ravens’ 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013. A month later, Ellerbe signed with the Dolphins.
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