How Porter Ellett Lost Use of His Arm at 4 Years Old — and Now Is Patrick Mahomes Warm-Up Partner on the Chiefs (Ex…see more

How Porter Ellett Lost Use of His Arm at 4 Years Old — and Now Is Patrick Mahomes Warm-Up Partner on the Chiefs (Exclusive)
The Kansas City Chiefs coach shares his resilient story of tragedy-turned-triumph alongside his wife Carlie, as they hope to inspire others to overcome challenges of their own

This football coach transformed a loss into a win.

Meet Porter Ellett, assistant running back coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, who’s won three Super Bowl titles with the team since joining the staff as Andy Reid’s assistant eight seasons ago.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Ellett reflected on the triumphant trajectory his life has taken since losing the use of his right arm at age 4 to becoming a valuable member of the franchise that’s currently in pursuit of clinching its third consecutive NFL championship victory.

Ellett vividly remembers the conversation he had with Reid upon being offered the assistant position at age 27. “He was like, ‘Hey, you’ll be my right hand man,’ ” he recalls Reid saying — to which Ellett replied, “‘As long as you’re okay with your right-hand man not having a right hand!’ ”

To this day, Ellett believes, in part, that’s what solidified Reid’s decision to hire him. “I think he loved that,” he says of his quip. “I always joke. I’m like, ‘My life wouldn’t make a good movie or book because it’s too far fetched. No one would believe it.’ ”

Ellett, now based in Kansas City and married to his wife Carlie with three kids, is a Utah native who grew up on a farm. He developed a hard working ethic by helping his father with various tasks on the range at a very young age.

“I would go with my dad to help him move sheep out on the mountain,” he explains, a chore that ultimately changed his life forever when he was 4 years old.

The doctors treated Ellett’s head injury, but after various tests, they learned that he “severed the nerves” in his spine which controlled and gave him feeling in his right arm. Despite the medical efforts, it could not be fixed.

“My earliest memories after the accident were just feeling injured,” Ellett says, looking back at his days in the hospital. “I remember walking by one of the windows and seeing kids outside playing basketball. I remember thinking, ‘This isn’t fair. It’s not cool. I’m supposed to be out there doing what they’re doing.’ “