TUSCALOOSA | Former University of Alabama All-SEC middle linebacker Victor Ellis died Tuesday night in Chattanooga.

The 2002 graduate was suffering from medullary renal cell carcinoma, a type of cancer that attacks the kidneys.

Ellis, who played for the Tide from 1998-2001, most recently visited Tuscaloosa for a fundraiser in November. He was 27 at the time.

“Just being part of the Alabama family has been wonderful,” Ellis told The Tuscaloosa News.

A native of Chattanooga who graduated from Red Bank High School, Ellis played in 40 games at Alabama from 1998-2001, and was part of the Crimson Tide’s 1999 Southeastern Conference championship team that played in the Orange Bowl in Miami. He also played for the UA team that played in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., as a freshman.

Ellis played in 40 games at Alabama, making 145 career tackles. He made 93 solo stops and tallied 52 assists. He finished with 14 career tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks and blocked two kicks.

Ellis earned Academic All-SEC honors as a junior in 1999, when he started every game. He made 94 tackles that season.

Ellis graduated from UA with a degree in communications in 2002 and went to work for the school’s office of admissions. He worked in Charlotte, N.C., as a regional recruiter.