IRVING, Texas - Greg Ellis has visited Cowboys Stadium only once. In June, he took his kids to a Jonas Brothers concert.
He has more than a decade's worth of memories in a Cowboys uniform, most occurring at Texas Stadium. But his first (and possibly last) business trip to the new $1.15 billion venue will be Thanksgiving Day - as an Oakland Raider.
That's not the way Ellis expected to finish his career after 11 seasons in Jerry Jones' organization, starting in 1998 as a first-round draft pick.
But it's part of the "circle of life," he says. All things must eventually end.
"You can't play on one team forever," said Ellis, who has been limited in practice (knee) this week. "You enjoy the years you were there. I told Jerry I wish we had won the big one while I was there. We didn't, and he felt like it was time to make a decision."
It was a difficult one, based on both money and personnel. The Cowboys saved $4.15 million in salary cap space. They also felt third-year linebacker Anthony Spencer - a first-round pick in 2007 - was ready for a starting role.
So ended a successful and persevering run in Dallas for the 34-year-old Ellis. He led the Cowboys in sacks six different seasons, including a five-year stretch from 2002-06, and currently ranks eighth on the team's all-time sack list (77).
He overcame a pair of serious injuries, including a torn Achilles' tendon in 2006. That same year, he made a mid-career switch from end to outside linebacker in the Cowboys' reformed 3-4 defense. The transition worked; he remained a dangerous pass rusher.
The last few years he never seemed comfortable as the Cowboys drafted multiple players at his new position (Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer). He felt Spencer eventually would be groomed for a starting role under head coach Wade Phillips. Last season, he had eight sacks but had become mostly a third-down rusher.
"Forever and ever I'm going to be labeled as Chan Gailey's first-round pick, and the same thing with (Phillips and) Anthony Spencer," Ellis said.
But in the end, he understood his time in Dallas had run out.
Spencer has taken over. He does not have a sack this season but has played well - he's tied for second in quarterback pressures (18) and third in pass breakups (5) - and made the winning interception last Sunday against Washington.
"It was never anything personal," Ellis said. "I think some players, they make the mistake. They get mad with the owner, get mad with the organization and say bad things about the organization. But you have to understand football does have a business side to it because there's so much money involved."
That said, he knows he can still play.
Despite missing one game following a mid-season knee scope, Ellis has five sacks at his old end position for the Raiders' 24th-ranked defense. He says a clearly-defined role has helped him adjust to a new team.
"I've got rejuvenation for football because of the battle, the struggle with constantly trying to take me out of the game, I don't have to deal with that anymore," Ellis said. We're struggling record-wise here in Oakland (3-7), but at least for me, I know I'm on a team that they're not trying to, as we players say, 'phase me out' for no reason at all."
Through it all, though, Ellis was a supportive teammate and mentor for Spencer and the Cowboys' younger defensive players.
Ware and Spencer have found themselves providing similar veteran advice this season to rookie linebackers Victor Butler and Brandon Williams.
"The way he came in and worked every day, especially with the things that were going on with the media and whatnot (about his playing situation), he just came in and worked no matter what," Spencer said. "I gained a lot of respect for him for the way he handled that type of stuff.
"He's a complete vet. He's been in the league for so long, he's been doing it so good for so long. You can't help but watch the way he does things and learn."
Thursday, Ellis will face Cowboys new starting right tackle Doug Free. He'll chase quarterback Tony Romo, provided his sore back isn't an issue.
And he'll try to treat Thanksgiving Day as just another game. It won't necessarily be easy.
He remembers the emotion Emmitt Smith showed when he returned to Texas Stadium in 2003 as an Arizona Cardinal.
"I saw it in him because he had so many years in Dallas, and actually a better run in Dallas than I did because they got the Super Bowls," Ellis said. "I can't tell you what reaction I'm going to have. As of right now, I'm still preparing as a normal football game.
"Once I get to the stadium, once I'm on the field, once I'm playing against the guys, I don't know."
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