Brother vs. brother matchups are becoming common in the NFL. We’ve already seen Travis and Jason Kelce — and J.J., Derek and T.J. Watt. Now, in the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos, another brotherly showdown is about to unfold: Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss vs. Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss.
It’s the first NFL matchup between the two brothers, and with both seeing time on special teams, a head-to-head confrontation could actually happen.
When it’s all said and done, only one Elliss will make the Super Bowl.
First Matchup Between the Brothers
Christian Elliss already spoke out on Monday, saying the following: “We’re excited. It’s a huge blessing for our family. One of us is going to the Super Bowl, one way or the other, so we’re very excited.”
And while NFL fans call the matchup a sweet story, their sister sees things differently. Mom Rebecca told patriots.com that she said: “Well, next Sunday is about to be awkward.”
The Elliss family’s size makes this matchup even more dramatic. Luther and Rebecca Elliss have a dozen children. Five are biological, and seven are adopted. There are eight boys and four girls. Three of the Elliss siblings currently play linebacker in the NFL: Christian, Jonah and Kaden.
It’s not the first time Christian has faced one of his brothers in an NFL game, but it’s the first time he and Jonah will ever share the same field in the same game — at any level.
Earlier this season, in November 2025, Christian went up against his oldest brother, Kaden, who plays linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons. During his time with the Eagles, he briefly shared a locker room with his brother Noah. Now, only Jonah is missing — and Christian will finally meet him in the AFC title game.
“We’ve never been on the field together at the same time so it’s special to me. I’m so excited to have his jersey and frame that after to have this moment last forever, because my favorite moment up to this point was playing against my older brother when he was on the Saints,” Christian said.
Special Teams Could Decide the Elliss Battle
GettyJonah Elliss Faces His Brother Christian for the First Time in the AFC Championship Game.
The two brothers are as close as any within the group of 12 kids. Christian told New England reporters this week that he and Jonah have a “side bet” on the outcome Sunday, and that their father Luther is excited to watch his boys “bump heads” on special teams.
Bumping heads, that’s where Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer comes in. His own history includes a sibling rivalry, albeit limited to the college ranks. He’s hoping his side comes out on the right side of the brotherly battle. “I’m excited to see how it plays out,” Springer said. “Hopefully our Elliss is better than their Elliss at the end of the day.”
Mother Rebecca is far from thrilled about her two sons meeting in the Championship Game. “I do not like it when they play against each other,” she told Patriots.com. She also added, “This is an amazing opportunity for them to be together on the field in such a big game, and I just pray that however it turns out that everyone is just happy for each other.”
No matter who wins, the Elliss family will be watching — and the winner won’t just earn a Super Bowl spot, but bragging rights that will last a lifetime.
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