ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — A former Broncos’ defensive tackle and team pastor, Luther Elliss has a bit of a quandary Sunday when his former team plays the Atlanta Falcons.
Two of his 12 children will square off against each other. Kaden Elliss, 29, is an inside linebacker and leading tackler for the Falcons. Jonah Elliss, 21, is an outside linebacker for the Broncos.
“It’s bragging rights for a year,’’ Jonah Elliss said at his locker Friday.
About 30 members of the Elliss family, including Luther, will attend the game at Empower Field at Mile High. Two other brothers, Christian and Noah, also played in the NFL. Christian is a part-time starting linebacker for the Patriots. Another brother, Elijah Elliss, is a freshman for the Utah Utes, who visit the University of Colorado for a game Saturday on the Boulder campus.
“It’s probably the most competitive time in our family and it’s the most fun,’’ Jonah Elliss said. “It really fun to get everyone together and compete.”
Kaden Elliss was drafted by Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints in 2019. He became a starter for the Saints in 2022, then the Falcons last year. He leads the Falcons with 88 tackles in 10 games.
Jonah Elliss has 2.0 sacks and 21 tackles as a backup edge player for the Broncos.
“I would say we’re pretty similar,’’ Jonah said. “He plays inside so it’s a little different but I would say we have the same sort of savviness. You can see that when you watch his film. I tried to replicate that a lot during college, really tried to watch him and learn from him. I would say that’s how we’re similar but difference-wise it’s just position-wise we’re a little different.”
Given Kaden is the older brother, it’s fair to assume Jonah benefitted more from him than the other way around. What did he learn from Big Bro?
“There was too many to state here but a lot of it is our pass rush,’’ Jonah said. “He sends a lot of videos and has pretty much taught me a lot about it. I would say that was one of the biggest ones but there’s a lot more for sure.”
Whoever wins Sunday is going to be King of the Elliss backyard in Utah this summer.
“Pickleball, cornhole, whatever yard game you can think of,’’ Elliss said of family outings. “Sometimes we do video games and I do board games but we try to diversify it so everyone can get their game.”
Elliss added he and his fiancé have little competition within the family in pickleball. That includes older brother Kaden.
“Oh, yeah, we killed him,’’ Jonah said. “He does not like it.”
Let’s see which Elliss wins Sunday.
Jones questionable
The abdomen injury that limited Broncos’ starting safety Brandon Jones in practice this week is a concern heading into the game Sunday against the Falcons.
“We were patient today,’’ Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton said in reference to Jones’ practice time. “And hopefully he’ll be ready.’’
Jones was a part-time starter over four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, but the Broncos made a leap of faith in March hoping he could be a full-time starter as a replacement to longtime safety starter Justin Simmons, who was cut in March and is now with Atlanta.
“Sometimes you look for certain traits,’’ Payton said. “And how do they fit to what you’re doing and what the vision is. He’s one that we felt had a good football IQ, especially in the system we’re playing where safeties at times have to cover slot receivers. So it was really trying to find that right shoe.”
Bronco Bits
Veteran receiver Josh Reynolds, out the past five weeks with a finger injury and also a shooting victim, returned to practice this week but will not play Sunday. …
Backup safety Dellarin Turner-Yell will be out one more week as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered late last season. Turner-Yell’s 21-day practice window expires Wednesday morning so at that time he will either likely be activated on the 53-man roster or remain on physically unable to perform (PUP) list. …
Outside linebacker Drew Sanders completed his second week of practice in his return from an offseason Achilles injury. He will not play against the Falcons. …
The Broncos held a tryout for several young players Friday morning: Linebackers Michael Barrett and K.J. Cloyd, guards Matt Farniok and Brady Latham, and defensive backs Keenan Isaac and Jaylen Key. Isaac played in seven games these past two seasons with Tampa Bay. Farniok started two games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. ...
Broncos rookie offensive tackle Frank Crum of Wyoming was planning to attend the Border War Game in Fort Collins on Friday night.
