ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — After an impressive rookie campaign, outside linebacker Jonah Elliss is back for year two in Denver and he’s just getting started.
“I feel like I’m still trying to get there,” Elliss told Denver7's Bradey King at training camp. “My own goal is to be the best outside linebacker I can be. Hopefully set records, do all that. But that comes with time.”
Elliss made a name for himself in his first NFL season, tallying five sacks, including takedowns of league veterans like Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins. But for Elliss, there was no singular “I made it” moment.
Football in the blood
Elliss is no stranger to the league. He’s the fourth Elliss brother to play in the NFL. His father, Luther Elliss, was a two-time Pro Bowler who also spent time with the Broncos. Growing up surrounded by the game, Jonah said his football family remains a huge part of his growth.
“We actually have a whole group text where we all talk about practice, help each other with the little things,” Jonah said. “My dad’s in the group chat too, and he’s the most knowledgeable out of all of us. It’s honestly a huge blessing to have all that help.”
Despite the legacy, Jonah said nothing was handed to him or his brothers.
“I wouldn’t say it was expected,” Jonah said. “We all had to work at it. We’re all a little bit different — Kaden's a hybrid, could go outside or inside, Christian’s more true inside. We all had our own stuff we had to master.”
Elliss recalls watching old game film of his dad when he was a kid, moments that fueled his dream.
“He would turn on film for us, and we’d watch him just destroy people,” Jonah said with a grin. “We were like, ‘That looks fun. That’s what I want to do.’”
New year, higher standard
The Broncos defense finished top 10 in takeaways last season and returns in 2025 with even loftier expectations.
“We set the standard last year,” Jonah said. “Now we have a new standard. It’s even better than that.”
That means obsessing over the small details at training camp — every rep, every breakdown, every punch at the ball.
“We’re so nitpicky on the little stuff, that’s why I think we play so well,” Jonah said. “Running, breaking the stack, punching out the ball, stuff people forget to do. The coaches preach it, the leaders preach it, and we all buy in.”
The linebacker room has embraced the role of tone-setters. Their group chat? Appropriately named “Playmakers.”
“As a room, we believe that if we’re on, the whole defense is gonna be on,” Jonah said. “So if we’re playing well, if we’re being the playmakers, everyone else is gonna start being playmakers too.”
With a healthy and hungry Jonah entering his sophomore season, don’t be surprised if the Broncos defense takes another leap forward this fall.
