Dean Ellington’s cause of death has not been confirmed, and his family has yet to release a statement. ESPN’s technical director is survived by his wife Therelza and two children. Ellington has worked for ESPN for the previous 22 years. He joined them in 2008 as a remote studio technical director and has been a longstanding part of the College GameDay team.
He previously served as a technical director for ESPN on the NFL Drafts, the FIFA World Cup 2014, the Ryder Cup, and The Masters. Ellington also won five Emmys. Baron Miller, the SEC Network’s coordinating producer, remarked on Dean’s death. Miller said that Dean exemplified true leadership, and one word comes to mind when he thinks of Dean: “kindness.”
Dean Ellington Cause of Death: What Happened to the ESPN Technical Director?
His family has not disclosed Dean Ellington’s cause of death. ESPN’s technical director died on Tuesday night at his home. Many people, including his coworkers, were shocked to learn of his death. Mike Greenberg, one of Dean’s numerous colleagues, broke the news of his death on ESPN’s morning program, Get Up. Greenberg discussed Dean’s importance to their team and how they worked tirelessly to improve the program.
Greenberg said, “He died abruptly on Tuesday night. Dean instructed every new technical worker who joined our staff. Dean was the one who answered everyone’s questions. Dean was the sixth child of Winston and Valda Ellington. His father, Winston, came to the United States in 1988 after spending 41 years in Jamaica. Dadrian Ellington, one of Dean’s siblings, posted a picture of herself standing with her brother as a memorial.
Rick Kvietkus, one of Dean’s coworkers, posted a tribute on Facebook. Rich commented, “I am startled and saddened by the death of our colleague Dean Ellington. A wonderful gentleman and a technical master. He had a fantastic taste in music. During pre-production, he constantly jammed songs ranging from Bob Marley to Metallica.
Winston enjoyed listening to Bob Marley, as previously stated in his father’s obituary. So it’s logical that he enjoyed listening to Marley. Kvietkus also said that if Dean participated in a performance, it would immediately improve. He also mentioned how Dean allowed him and his kid to share a room with him in Philadelphia when they went to see the Army-Navy football game. Kvietkus wrote, “That’s the kind of man he was. People are always assisting one another. I’ll miss his chuckle and his wry grin. “Rest in Peace, my friend.”
Dean Ellington’s Career
Dean Ellington, ESPN’s technical director, graduated from the University of Hartford with a mass communication degree in 1999. Dean started working as a remote supervisor for WTIC/WTXX TV while still a student. He worked there for five years before joining Fox 61 WTIC in 1999 as a production supervisor. Ellington led the technical crew of Fox 61 WTIC, a local news station. Ellington’s big break came in 2008 when he became ESPN’s remote studio technical director for the Super Bowl.
That same year, he worked in the same capacity for several other athletic events, including the Masters and Ryder Cup. Dean was promoted to senior technical director in 2017 and will hold the role until 2022. He was also the technical director for the NFL Draft from 2008 to 2016. Dean joined ESPN as a remote operations producer in 2022, having previously worked on the morning program Get Up.
