Broncos rookie outside linebacker Jonah Elliss had a strong preseason debut last Sunday at Indianapolis but his father says just wait until he’s fully healthy.
Luther Elliss was a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle with Detroit from 1995-2003 before finishing his career with Denver in 2004. He is now the defensive tackles coach at Utah, where his son starred before being a third-round pick by the Broncos last April.
“He’s still recovering from his (shoulder surgery) as far as his strength,’’ Elliss' dad told The Denver Gazette. “He was really happy that he felt stronger in the game (against the Colts) than maybe he has all camp.”
Elliss had surgery last December to repair a torn labrum and was fully cleared to participate in training camp. In the 34-30 win over the Colts, he had a tackle on the opening kickoff, a sack and a pressure that led to an interception.
“He feels he’s getting stronger and is continuing to build that strength,’’ said Luther Elliss. “Basically, right now, he has a few moves, but not his total arsenal of what he would like to do. He needs to get that strength back up, get that confidence and he should be good.
“There’s nothing wrong with (the shoulder). It’s just getting comfortable again, being able to do what you used to do. I just think a little more strengthening and just use of it and trust of it and he will be back to his old self.”
Nevertheless, there has been plenty of praise so far for Elliss. Broncos coach Sean Payton said there’s “some good tape on him,’’’ although he added he is continuing with “developing his rush plan and certainly taking on the run.”
Elliss will take the field for his second preseason game Sunday night against Green Bay at Empower Field at Mile High. His dad will be watching it on television in Utah.
Luther Elliss also is the father of Kaden, a linebacker for Atlanta, Christian, a linebacker for New England, and Noah, a free-agent defensive tackle who spent the past two seasons with Philadelphia. While he said he’s “hopefully not too tough of a critic,’’ if his sons ask for his opinion he gives it.
While Luther Elliss said his son played “a really good game” against the Colts, he didn’t deny there are some things he must clean up.
“The quarterback hit that caused the interception, that was a really good play, great timing of his hands, and he could have turned a little tighter, but you know he still did a good job there,’’ said Luther Elliss, referring to the second-quarter play in which his son pressured Sam Ehlinger and he threw a ball picked off by cornerback Keidron Smith.
Elliss’ father said he had a “couple of pass rushes that weren’t horrible, but he has to realize how good these offensive tackles are with their athletic ability.” He said there were occasions when his son could have done better with spin moves and “do a better job with his draw foot.”.
“He had a few good plays spread out overall and even the plays that maybe he didn’t make, I just I thought he did some good things, but the teaching tapes will help him grow to become a better player,’’ he said.
Hey, this is a former Pro Bowl player talking. And Luther Elliss has high standards.
Meanwhile, he is rooting like heck for his son to make it big for the Broncos. While Elliss's dad played only one season for Denver, the native of Mancos, Colo., grew up a huge Broncos fan and he served as the team’s chaplain from 2015-16.
“I’m just very proud of Jonah and excited for him and his future,’’ he said. “We all have big goals, and I want to see him accomplish those goals.”
When Elliss steps on the field for his first regular-season game, there will be a second father-son combination to both have played for Denver. Tom Graham was a Broncos linebacker from 1972-74 and Daniel Graham a tight end from 2007-10.
“That’s a great honor,’’ said Luther Elliss. “To be only the second ones to do that, that’s really pretty cool.”
Considering Elliss’ father is busy as a coach, it will be tough for him to attend many Broncos games this season. But he will have an ideal opportunity when the Utes play at Colorado on Nov. 16, and the next day Atlanta faces Denver at Empower Field in a game that could feature two of his sons.
“We have so many family friends who want to come to that game that I think we could fill up the whole stadium by ourselves,’’ he said.
Walker lauds Packers fans
Javon Walker had 1,000-yard receiving seasons for both the Packers and the Broncos. He was asked which team has the better fans.
“That’s a tough one for me,’’ Walker said.
Walker eventually settled on the Packers, but insisted he means no ill will to the Broncos.
“I’m going to go with the team that drafted me (in 2002) and say the Green Bay Packers, but Denver is like my second home,'' he said. "I hope people can understand that. Packers fans travel so well, but so does Denver when I was on the road and playing for the organization. So, the Broncos are a close second.”
Walker was with the Packers from 2002-05, which included catching 89 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season of 2004. He played for the Broncos from 2006-07, which included having 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006.
Walker plans to watch Sunday’s game on television from his home in Cypress, Texas, where he is an entrepreneur who owns several apartment buildings and yogurt stores in the Houston area. He figures there will be plenty of green in the stands.
“After I got drafted to the Packers, I told myself, ‘I don’t understand how Dallas is America’s Team,’’’ Walker said. "With the way they travel and the atmosphere, I’ve always felt like Green Bay is America’s Team.”
Nix impresses Packers
Packers star cornerback Jaire Alexander went against Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix in Friday’s joint practice at Broncos Park, and he was impressed.
“I like Bo Nix,’’ said Alexander, the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback at an average of $21 million per season. “I think he’s a young talent and I think that he’sgonna be a pretty good quarterback in this league. … As practice went along, his decision-making became crisper. It became better. He carries himself like a veteran.”
Alexander is expected to be sit out Sunday’s preseason game, so he will have plenty of time to watch Nix from the bench. Also expected to be rested is Packers quarterback Jordan Love, another fan of the rookie.
“I’m a big supporter of Bo Nix,’’ said Love, who recently signed a four-year, $220 million contract extension. “We’ll see what pans out in that quarterback situation. … I wish him all the best if he gets an opportunity to start, play in some games this year. He’s in it for the long journey, keep stepping up and get better every day.”
Nix, battling veteran Jarrett Stidham, will start Sunday and a good showing likely would lock up the job for the Sept. 8 opener at Seattle.
Taylor on NFL Films
Lionel Taylor last caught a pass in the pros 56 years ago, but his story soon will be told to more recent football fans.
An NFL Films crew went to Taylor’s home in Rio Rancho, N.M., for two days earlier this summer for an upcoming feature on the former star receiver. Taylor played in the NFL and AFL from 1959-68, including 1960-66 with the Broncos. He caught 543 balls for Denver and in 1961 became the first pro player with a 100-catch season, grabbing 100 for 1,176 yards. After retiring as a player, he was an assistant coach for 14 NFL seasons, including two spent as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
“We talked about everything. They filmed me working out in the morning,’’ said Taylor, who turned 89 on Thursday and still works out regularly. “It was really neat. We had a good time.”
An NFL Films official said the segment on Taylor is tentatively scheduled to be shown in November on NFL Films Presents, which airs on NFL Network and Fox Sports 1 during the season.
No phony turf here
The Broncos are entering their 65th straight season of having played home games on grass. A look at teams that have played the longest without ever going to artificial turf:
| Rk | Team | First season | Years with grass |
| 1 | Packers | 1921 | 104 |
| 2 | Commanders | 1932 | 93 |
| 3 | Browns* | 1946 | 76 |
| T4 | Broncos | 1960 | 65 |
| T4 | Raiders | 1960 | 65 |
*Browns were inactive in 1996, 1997, 1998