ENGLEWOOD, Colo — Many of us raise our kids to get an education so they can grown up to have good jobs.'
Luther Elliss raised football players with his youngest assured of getting a Million Dollar signing bonuses before he began his first job.
Jonah Elliss, an outside pass rusher from Utah and the youngest of Luther's four NFL-playing sons, received a four-year, $5.87 million contract Tuesday that included a $1.09 million signing bonus.
And by the way, Luther, a 10-year NFL defensive tackle for the Lions and Broncos from 1995-2004, didn't shirk the importance of his kids' education either. Kaden Elliss graduated from a Catholic high school in Utah, then majored in human resource management at Idaho. He was a 7th-round draft pick of Sean Payton's New Orleans Saints in 2019.
Christian and Noah Elliss graduated from Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch at a time when their dad served as the Broncos' team chaplain. Christian and Noah also played their college ball at Idaho, where their dad was a defensive line coach.
Jonah is on target to perhaps be the best of Luther's boys. He had 12.0 sacks in just 10 games for Utah last year before suffering the shoulder injury,.
At the Broncos' rookie minicamp this past weekend, Elliss participated in walkthrough and individual periods but not in the 11 of 11 team portion.
The advice he received from his dad -- a first-round draft pick of the Lions out of Utah in 1995 -- and brothers as Jonah embarked on rookie minicamp?
“Just to stay calm,'' Jonah Elliss said. "Everyone in this rookie camp are rookies, so everyone is going to be learning it and trying to get through it. Don’t freak out, calm down and you have it.”
He and the rookies are now practicing with the veterans this week, the final week of the NFL's Phase II offseason workout program before OTAs begin next Monday.
Elliss is the sixth of the Broncos' seven drafted players to have signed his contract. Fourth-round receiver Troy Franklin will soon finish his four-year deal that is already slotted in for a $4.875 million total value that includes an $854,836 signing bonus.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Sports