The Rams selected Henry Ellard in the second round out of Fresno State in 1983, and he immediately showed he could contribute in multiple ways. The Rams used him early on as both a wide receiver and a punt returner. He led the NFL in punt-return average as a rookie and kept producing big returns the next year. In 1984, he earned First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a returner after taking two punts back for touchdowns, one of 83 yards and another of 69. He also caught passes, but his return work gave him extra chances to impact games while the offense was still finding its balance.

Ellard’s role expanded as a receiver, and he became a consistent deep threat with precise routes and the speed to separate. From 1988 through 1991, he topped 1,000 receiving yards each season. In 1988 he led the NFL with 1,414 yards and earned another First-Team All-Pro selection. He finished fourth in the league in receiving yards the next year and second the year after that, posting 1,382 and 1,294 yards respectively. Those seasons established him as one of the better wideouts in the league and the clear lead receiver for the Rams.

He stayed productive in Los Angeles after that stretch, though the yardage totals dipped as the offense changed. Ellard finished his time with the Rams after the 1993 season. With the club, he totaled 593 receptions and 9,761 receiving yards, both franchise records at the time he left. He also added strong return numbers earlier in his career that helped set up the offense.

Ellard signed with the Washington Redskins and had three more 1,000-yard seasons there. With the Rams, he earned three Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro nods, one as a returner and one as a receiver. His early return ability and steady production later made him one of the franchise’s more reliable offensive weapons during the 1980s and early 1990s.