From Eagles Cut to Super Bowl Starter: Christian Elliss Anchors Patriots Defense
Christian Elliss has secured his return to the Super Bowl, this time as a pivotal starter for the New England Patriots, following a decisive 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. The linebacker’s journey to Super Bowl LX represents a stark turnaround from December 2023, when he was waived by the Philadelphia Eagles as their season unraveled. New England claimed Elliss off waivers shortly after, a move that has paid dividends during the Patriots’ 2025-2026 campaign.
In the low-scoring conference title match, Elliss delivered a career-defining performance, recording a sack and a forced fumble against Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The turnover proved critical in a game dominated by defensive play, showcasing Elliss’s evolution from a special teams contributor to a defensive mainstay. He finished the 2025 regular season with a career-high 94 tackles, cementing his role in the middle of the Patriots’ defense.
Despite the professional triumph, the victory carried a bittersweet weight for the 27-year-old. The game pitted him against his younger brother, Jonah Elliss, a linebacker for the Broncos. Post-game footage captured an emotional embrace between the siblings at midfield, with Christian consoling Jonah as snow fell in Denver. “Holding my brother after the game, that’s not a feeling I ever want to replicate,” Christian noted, acknowledging the personal difficulty of ending his brother’s season to advance his own.
The Patriots’ path to the Super Bowl has been fueled by a resurgence in defensive efficiency, with Elliss playing a central role since assuming a starting position. His transition from an undrafted free agent out of Idaho, who bounced between practice squads, to a key playmaker on an AFC Championship team highlights the volatility of NFL rosters. While the Eagles’ 2023 collapse led to his exit, it inadvertently set the stage for his emergence in New England. As the Patriots prepare for Super Bowl LX, Elliss stands as a testament to resilience, having turned a mid-season release into a second shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
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