Dominique Ellis, who played in all 18 games with the Tiger-Cats last season, was one of the team’s final cuts at the conclusion of training camp earlier this year. It was the fourth time he had been cut in his career. He was unsure about why the decision was made, but knew if he stayed positive he wouldn’t be out of work long.
“You just have to move on and keep pushing,” says Ellis. “I’m built a little different. I’m not very emotional about that kind of thing. I knew I would get another opportunity eventually, and it came with the Ticats.”
After learning he was released, Ellis didn’t just wait around for something to fall in his lap. He picked himself up, moved on, and got back to work.
“I went back to Atlanta and trained. It’s much different down there, because the temperature is in the triple digits,” says Ellis.
Hopefully for Ellis, the heat he experienced training in Atlanta prepared him for returning to the pressure cooker of the Hamilton market. Tiger-Cat fans deeply care about their football team, and they are eager for a player like Ellis to step in and be a difference maker. Ellis believes he’s the right man for the job.
“I was able to make it back because I have a great knowledge of the game. So even with the changes to the defence, and all the new things that were brought in, I was able to adjust, no problem,” he says. “I study football. I can’t even just watch a regular game. All I do is watch the concepts.”
Ellis feels at home in the Tiger-Cats defence because of the way he plays the game.
“They [the Tiger-Cats] play very aggressive, very physical. The guys are all one unit,” says Ellis. “We all work together. We all play multiple positions. We can all be shuffled around.”
Interestingly, earlier in Ellis’ career, when he was a starting with the Montreal Alouettes, he was felt he would be more at home in the Tiger-Cats’ system than with his own team.
“You’d think it was funny. When I was in Montreal, I always knew I would end up in Hamilton,” says Ellis. “Every time I watched Hamilton, I thought to myself, ‘I fit into that defence.’”
With time, Ellis would earn his chance. As it turned out, the situation in Montreal was less than ideal.
“I spent two and half years with Montreal, and then I was released,” says Ellis. “It was a bad situation. It was just unfortunate for everyone involved, so I kind of felt it coming. Even though I was playing well there, it wasn’t the place for me to excel in football.”
That was the first time he was cut. With each successive time he’s been released, it hasn’t gotten easier. As Ellis describes it, it’s just gotten easier to handle.
But no matter how many times it happens, he always knows football will be there waiting for him to return.
“I’ve been cut four times and I always find my way back to football,” he says. “As long as I’m playing football, I’m happy. I’ve been playing football since I was four years old and I haven’t missed one year since. As long as I’m playing football, there’s a smile on my face.”
Since he’s been back in Hamilton, Ellis believes his play has given him something to smile about.
“I think I’ve been playing really well. I think I’ve played sound, had my eyes in the right place, and made open field tackles,” he says.
Ellis will continue to bounce back from being cut, because after so many years in the CFL, he’s learned how to handle it.
As he explains, “If you’re American and you’ve played in the CFL, you’ve been cut before. Guaranteed.”
At the end of the day, Ellis loves football, and he doesn’t care if football loves him back.