JE #52

Jonah Elliss

Linebacker · Utah

The son of a Pro Bowl Lion and one of four brothers in the NFL, Elliss made an immediate impact as a rookie pass rusher for Denver.

Jonah Elliss is a linebacker for the Denver Broncos and part of a remarkable football family, the son of former Detroit Lions Pro Bowler Luther Elliss and one of four brothers currently playing in the NFL. A third-round pick in 2024, Elliss announced himself as a rookie pass rusher before injuries slowed his second season.

★ Consensus All-American (2023)

★ First-team All-Pac-12 (2023)

★ PFWA All-Rookie Team (2024)

★ Recorded third-most sacks among NFL rookies in 2024 (5)

Path to the league

Elliss played linebacker at Utah from 2021 to 2023, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore with 26 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks. He capped his college career in 2023 as a consensus All-American and First-team All-Pac-12 selection. Denver drafted him in the third round, 76th overall, in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Elliss is the son of Luther Elliss, a 1995 first-round pick out of Utah who made two Pro Bowls over a 10-year NFL career primarily with the Detroit Lions. Jonah has three brothers, including Kaden and Christian, who have also played in the NFL, believed to be the only set of four brothers to all reach the league. As a rookie in 2024, Elliss recorded five sacks, the third-most among all NFL rookies, and earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team before a fractured scapula ended his season in the Wild Card playoff loss to Buffalo.

2025 season recap

Injuries limited Elliss's impact in 2025, though he still contributed 28 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three pass deflections. Ahead of the 2026 season, head coach Sean Payton announced plans to use Elliss at inside linebacker as part of his continued development.