The New England Patriots will rekindle their rivalry with the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but there will be more on the line than just a date in the Super Bowl for Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss.
Elliss unveiled the terms of his side bet with brother and Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss ahead of the upcoming AFC Championship Game in Denver at 3 p.m. ET.
The Patriots will meet the Broncos in the playoffs for the fourth time since 2011, and this will be their third AFC Championship Game date in that span. Denver is 2-0 against New England, with both wins coming at Empower Field at Mile High — 20-18 on Jan. 24, 2016 and a 26-16 Denver win Jan. 19, 2014.
The AFC Championship Game Loser ‘Will Be Reminded Forever’
Christian and Jonah are two of the four Elliss brothers who have donned an NFL team roster — along with Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss and defensive tackle Noah Elliss. Christian called the fact he would be going against his brother “a blessing.”
“We’re excited. It’s a huge blessing for our family,” Elliss said Monday. “One of us is going to the Super Bowl, one way or the other, so we’re very excited.”
Still, Christian is about four years older than Jonah and presumably has dominated the brotherly rivalry between the duo for their whole lives. Losing to his younger-brother’s team — even though Jonah mainly plays special teams and has only played about 38% of Denver’s defensive snaps — surely would be a hit to his psyche.
This is especially likely, since Christian played in the Super Bowl in 2022 for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jonah, 22, wouldn’t know what he was missing..
Plus, Christian would lose bragging rights forever.
“For me, it’s a little bit of smack talking,” Elliss said. “We’ll have a little side bet, and the loser will be reminded forever.”
Christian Elliss Has Never Been On The Field Against Jonah Elliss
Because Christian, 27, is older than Jonah, he and his brother haven’t ever played together — or against one another — in an organized game in their lives.
“We’ve never been on the same field at the same time,” Christian said. “It’s special to me. I’m so excited to have his jersey and frame that and have this moment last forever.”
Christian referenced his first meeting against his older brother Kaden, when Christian was on the Eagles and Kaden was a member of the New Orleans Saints, as his previous favorite moment of his football life.
“He was on punt [team], and I was on punt return and I tried to blow him up,” Christian said. “We were laughing the entire way down the field, and out of all my moments — Super Bowl, big plays — that’s probably my favorite one so far. I’m going to hold onto that one forever.”
Yet, it’s pretty perfect that their first head-to-head meeting will come in Denver. As the son of former NFL defensive lineman Luther Elliss, Christian was born in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch and played high-school football at Valor Christian High School, less than 25 miles south of Empower Field at Mile High.
Plus, according to Christian, he will be well-adjusted to the altitude.
“I’m used to it,” he said. “It is definitely a change, and you’ve got to prepare for it, and you got to mentally prepare for it. But it’s not anything that you have to shy away from.”
Patriots’ Christian Elliss Reveals Stakes of ‘Side Bet’ With Broncos Brother Jonah Elliss