On Sunday, February 12, 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated with both family and fans after winning the Super Bowl LVll. Under the direction of an experienced coaching staff, the MVP for the season, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35. However, despite the excitement (or disappointment) that their win may have brought you, the real excitement comes from the fact that Wayne County’s very own, Porter Ellett, helped them do it. In fact, he is head coach Andy Reid’s “left-hand man.”
Growing Up in Wayne County
Porter Ellett, 31, grew up on his family’s 180-acre farm in Loa, Utah. At four years old, Ellett was doing what most kids do in a small town — riding in the back of an old Ford F-150 pickup truck. After suddenly falling off the moving vehicle, he suffered severe damage to the nerves in his right arm, leaving it immobile.
Losing the use of his arm at such a young age meant being forced to learn how to manage without it. Determined to defy all odds, he mastered many farm-hand skills that are most often difficult with even two hands: tossing sheep into their corral, pushing sprinkler pipe, mending fences, feeding lambs, reeling in fish and even riding a motorcycle.
At 16 years old, Porter decided to have the arm amputated: after breaking it on six different occasions and experiencing three dislocations, he realized it was just in his way. Making no excuses for himself, however, he continued to participate in athletics throughout the rest of his high school career — eventually being named the 1A Baseball MVP (junior year) and was selected as first team all-state (senior year).
In basketball, he helped the Wayne Badgers to a regional championship title and they were later featured on Good Morning America in New York. Though determined to find independence despite his circumstances, Porter had an entire community’s love and support behind him through it all — yet another blessing that comes from living in rural Utah.
College and Professional Life
After returning home from a mission in Los Angeles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ellett married Carlie Mckeon. He later graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Soon after, he obtained a position as a graduate assistant at Baylor University while pursuing a masters degree in sports management.
An article by BYU Magazine states that “a connection from his BYU days led Ellett to his first big break.” Porter’s friend, Devin Woodhouse, had married Drew Reid, the daughter of Chiefs coach Andy Reid. On an invitation to the Reid home, Drew started asking Porter about his life “which,” added the article, “with fellow alum Andy listening in, became a kind of casual job interview. The coach was impressed.”
“After the season I had an opening, so I ended up bringing him in, interviewed him with a couple other guys, and thought he was the best,” said Reid.”
Becoming Coach Reid’s ‘Left-Hand Man’
When Porter Ellett later interviewed for a senior assistant position with the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reid summed up the job responsibilities: “Basically you need to be me when I’m not here. Or when I am here, you need to be my right-hand man and keep me going in the right direction.”
To this, Ellett responded, “as long as you would be okay with your right-hand man not having a right hand.” Andy laughed and humorously replied: “All right, then you’ll be my left-hand man.” The nickname stuck and Ellett has been with the Chiefs since 2017.
Whether you cheer for a different NFL team, you don’t like the Chiefs, or maybe you don’t even watch the NFL at all, Porter Ellett is still an exceptional example of endurance, strength, and humility. Despite the challenges he has faced, he has been successful and has continued to chase his dreams. Coming from a small community like our own, he proves that we really can do and be anything we hope to be!
– by Hailee Eyre
Feature image caption: Porter Ellett and his wife and little boy all decked out in Kansas City Chiefs merchandise after he began coaching. Courtesy BYU Magazine.
Hailee Eyre – Panguitch
Hailee Eyre is a journalist at The Byway. She attended Southern Utah University in the fall and is pursuing a career in the medical field. Her favorite topics to write about are those that intend to inspire others, providing motivation as means to better yourself or the world around you. In her free time, Hailee loves to be outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, boating or hiking.
Hailee is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pennsylvania and New York Church History Sites Mission.