It’s a sad day for Bridgeport sports: Tony Elliott, one of the best football players to ever come out of Bridgeport, was found dead at his home of natural causes on Monday.
This story came to us last night in the form of anonymous phone call and appeared in our paper and our website today in a story by Joel Thompson.
Tony, a defensive lineman, who was a two-time first-team Connecticut Post all-star selection and a defensive player of the year who helped Harding defeat Fairfield Prep 27-7 to win its famous 1976 MBIAC title, avenging a 17-16 loss to the Jesuits in the regular season.
He starred in two years North Texas State after a stints in Wisconsin and Pratt Junior College in Kansas. He was drafted fifth in the 1982 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints and played seven years there.
In his 1998 bio for our “Best of the Best: Connecticut Post’s 25th Anniversary All-Star team” Tony said he was planning to come home to start a computer engineering firm in Stamford. It was after that his life took a turn for the worse, beginning with being paralyzed from the waist down during a 2000 shooting.
Read more in Thompson’s story, which includes comments from his brother Carl State Rep. Don Clemons and City Council member Warren Blunt, here
I was just a year old when Tony last played at Harding, but I’ve only heard good things about his career and place in Harding football history. For anyone who knew him or remembered seeing him play, feel free to add your thoughts about Tony on the comments section below.
SPB
I married into the Elliott family over 35 years ago. I met Tony as a 13yr old who looked like a grown man then. He was just such a lovable person – you felt good being around him. Love him forever, forget him never!!
Im too young to know about his playing days but i do remember him coming out to the Pop warner fields and games to support his twin nephews that i coached….every thursday after helping Coach Allen for a littble bit after Harding Practices he would help me and my Popwarner team…always giving words of wisdom to the children and joking on how tough he was back in his day.. Tony Elliott was a great man and he’ll never be 4gotten…
I met Tony back in the early 70′s at Read Middle School in Bpt. He was a man among boys. When he walked down the hallways it parted like the red sea. At a time when racial tensions were at their highest, me and Tony got along great, which was a good thing for me since I was about 100lbs, 5’0 tall and white. He went to Harding and I to Central where we played football against each other on Thanksgiving. My sophmore year their was a melee on the field between players from Central and players from Harding along with fans who rushed the field. Tony was 6’4 and 240 and very intimidating and at one point we bumped into each other back to back. When I turned around and saw it was Tony I was scared to death. But as cool as can be he said “hey what’s up man?”and smiled. And that’s what i remember most about Tony, he had a heart of gold and anyone he came in contact with found out what a good person he was. He will me missed by many.
Tony was a kid who grew up in beardsley terrace housing projects. I remember him as one of the biggest 10 year old kids in Bridgeport ct, he attended upward bound with me representing beardsley terrace along with joe gantt, jessie mitchell, sonnia roacher, darline anderson and many more. we attended this program with groups of youth from father panic village, marina village, greens apartments, p.t. barnum
we all lived in different city projects but became friends for life after being introduced to this cultural program by founder and director earnie parker.
great memories of tony elliott
he will be missed by everyone
may his memory live forever…………………………….
I remember Tony when he came to Harding High. Very charismatic always friendly and he cheered me on when I tried out for the cheerleading squad. I will never forget you. Be at peace.
I met Tony
my freshman year
at Harding high and I played with1974 I had Privilege
of playing with him for 3 years. I played center for Harding
At that time they were saying that Harding offence line was able to move mountains, and we did with Tony that was a great game we played
and I will never forget it. Rest in peace my brother.
U S M C MIKEY 1976 CHAMPS…