Last season, New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss set career highs in both total tackles (94) and games started (13), becoming a valuable contributor for the team’s defensive unit after previously going undrafted in 2021 and seeing the majority of his action on special teams.
Now, with the 2026 campaign on the horizon, the Idaho product is looking to carry the momentum he generated in 2025 into this year and continue improving his on-field performance.
“Honestly, this is the first time in a long time where I’ve been in a system for two years in a row just because we had so many coaching changes and all that happened in the past,” Elliss told Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. “So now going, building off of last year, that’s all I’m focused on, is enhancing what we did. And now I’m not relearning a playbook. I’m not trying to learn a new scheme.”
The Patriots may need more from Christian Elliss than ever before
Elliss was released six different times over the course of his first three seasons in the NFL, but after putting together a breakout season with New England in 2024, he’s currently coming off a year in which he was the second-leading tackler on a team that made it all the way to Super Bowl LX. Now with 39 games played (including the playoffs) as a Patriot under his belt, Elliss feels that familiarity with the franchise is helping set him up for success.
“For me, it’s been nothing but beneficial because I actually know everything that they’re already installing, and then I can make tweaks or talk to them about how they see it, and it’s a lot more comfortable,” he said.
Patriots offseason departures could result in more opportunities
While Elliss played a higher percentage of defensive snaps than ever before throughout his five years in the league, the veteran could see an even greater usage rate next season. New England parted ways with linebackers Jack Gibbens, Jahlani Tavai, and Marte Mapu over the spring, opening the door for Elliss to take on a larger role in 2026.
Newcomers to the team’s linebacking corps, including rookie sixth-round pick Namdi Obiazor and free agent signing KJ Britt, will certainly help add depth. However, the Patriots will likely lean most heavily on the longer-tenured Elliss to fill that lost production.
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