SAN DIEGO — Shaun Ellis doesn’t want to switch careers yet. That much is clear.
Asked this week how much longer he plans to play, the veteran Jets defensive end said, “Till I can’t [play] no more. You can’t get a job like this anywhere.”
Ellis laughed, and right now, the truth is that his job and his life are pretty good. Today the Jets are in the AFC Divisional round, set to face the Chargers in San Diego in a game they have a very realistic chance of winning. That would put Ellis one step closer to finally getting a championship ring — something he doesn’t have yet and is running out of chances to acquire.
Ellis, in his 10th season with the team, is the longest tenured Jet. The 32-year-old was drafted in 2000 and has spent his entire career with Gang Green. He racked up 61⁄2 sacks this season.
Ellis never has been past the second round of the playoffs. He can change that today if the Jets can upend the Chargers and advance to the AFC Championship game.
Another longtime defensive end in this town spent his whole career with one team, kept falling short, then finally got his championship ring in year 15. That would be Michael Strahan, who nearly retired, then came back for his 15th season and capped it with a Super Bowl championship for the Giants.
“I just feel like everything is a process,” Ellis said. “Everybody’s blessings come in different forms and fashion. I just believe in if you just keep your head down and you keep working, good things will happen to you. And that’s one of the things that happened to this team.
“We just kept our head down, regardless of what was going on with our situation throughout the season — games we should have won, we lost and just that whole turmoil thing. We just stayed patient and just kept grinding and look where we’re at now.”
Ellis has played under four Jets head coaches (Al Groh, Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan), survived a crushing divisional round loss to the Steelers (thanks to Doug Brien) and featured a quarterback transition that’s gone from Vinny Testaverde to Chad Pennington to Brett Favre to Mark Sanchez.
“I’ve seen a lot of people come, a lot of people go. Coaches included,” he said. “So I just try to just keep my head down and just keep working. Don’t take anything for granted. Just keep a steady approach and just go out there and work hard. Just do what the team asks me to do.”
mark.hale@nypost.com
MEET A CHARGER
Most fans know about LT, Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman and a few other stars on the Chargers. The Post has spotlighted a lesser-known player who could have a big impact each day leading up to the game. This is the last spotlight:
He shares time with the more publicized Jacob Hester, but has been the more dynamic half of the duo. Playing in all 16 games, has 25 carries for 148 yards, a touchdown and a 5.9 average, compared with Hester’s 21 carries for 74 yards, no touchdowns and a 3.5 average.
He is a second-year player like Hester, who was a third-round pick off of LSU’s national-championship team, Tolbert was an undrafted free agent out of Coastal Carolina. A dangerous receiver, too, Tolbert had 17 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns. He led the Chargers with 22 tackles on special teams.
Though Tolbert is built like a traditional fullback and Hester is built more like a running back, neither have the blocker that predecessor Lorenzo Neal was. Though rivals for playing time, Tolbert and Hester have become best friends.