SAN JOSE — When 10 members of the New England Patriots took their respective podiums for a media session Tuesday at the Santa Clara Marriott ahead of Super Bowl LX, there was a solid Utah contingency at the mic.
Two of those players — linebacker Christian Elliss and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga — played all or part of their high school football in the state of Utah.
That was significant. On a day where only the head coaches and 10 players from each team are made available to the media, the state of Utah had a pair of voices representing it.
Elliss and Tonga are two of five Utah ties on the rosters of the two teams facing off in Super Bowl LX on Sunday (4:30 p.m. MST, NBC), when the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area.
In an athletic landscape where the college game is being forever changed by Name, Image and Likeness deals, revenue sharing and the transfer portal, these five athletes — through their own unique journeys and work ethic — are within a victory of being able to call themselves Super Bowl champions.
Of those five, only one, Tonga, was drafted — and he was a late seventh-round selection.
The other four, including Elliss, went undrafted.
While it’s true that the starting quarterbacks in this year’s game — Seattle’s Sam Darnold and New England’s Drake Maye — are much more likely than the five Utah ties to make the key play that seals Sunday’s game, these five represent a group that can showcase the type of talent that is being forged in the Beehive State.
Each has overcome his own odds to land himself one win away from a Super Bowl title — and an individual payout share of $178,000 for winning Sunday’s matchup.
Here’s a look at the journey each has taken to be one step closer to earning a Super Bowl ring, and what it’s taken for them to get to this point.
Khyiris Tonga, Patriots DT
Tonga, who prepped at Granger High and starred at BYU on the defensive line, was the 250th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, just nine picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant.
He lasted one season with the team that drafted him, the Chicago Bears, before they waived him during final cuts in 2022.
Tonga then spent a month on Atlanta’s practice squad before the Minnesota Vikings signed him to their active roster in October 2022. He was with the Vikings for the rest of the 2022 season and all of 2023.
He spent the 2024 season with the Arizona Cardinals. Then, as a free agent last March, Tonga signed a one-year deal with New England.
In his fifth NFL home, Tonga has found his most prominent role yet.
“(New England is) a team that really gave me a full chance to just play ball, never really put a roof over my abilities,” Tonga told reporters during Tuesday’s media session. “It’s been fun to be able to come in and just be me and play free.”
The 335-pound behemoth has been trusted on the Patriots’ defensive front as a complementary piece in their run-stuffing efforts. He’s also played a handful of offensive snaps as a fullback in short-yardage situations.
“It’s been a journey,” Tonga said of his NFL career to this point. “And (I’ve) been grateful for every step of the way. Yeah, it was hard and it’s taught me a lot to be able to appreciate the game and to really be where my feet is.
“I’m grateful for all the teams that gave me a chance, and I’m grateful to be here and shout out to the Patriots, giving me a chance and letting me ball.”
Christian Elliss, Patriots LB
Elliss, the son of former University of Utah and two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Luther Elliss, played high school football at Judge Memorial High before finishing out his prep career in Colorado and then playing at the University of Idaho.
He went undrafted in the same draft class as Tonga, Elliss bounced around between three NFL teams as a rookie before his second stint in Philadelphia kept him with the Eagles for three seasons.
He even played 24 snaps on special teams for Philadelphia in Super Bowl LVII, when the Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The past two-plus years, Elliss has suited up for New England. In 2025, he found his way into a starting role for the Patriots.
He finished the regular season with a career-high 94 tackles, including 39 solo stops, three pass deflections and a forced fumble.
During New England’s playoff run, Elliss has had 16 tackles, one sack, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
His numbers are trending in a positive direction, suggesting that Elliss could factor into Sunday’s game.
Elliss, who time and again stressed his faith with reporters Tuesday, talked about his journey going from a backup to a starter for the Patriots, and how an injury to a fellow linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley last season played a role in all that.
“I’ve been blessed, I’ve been blessed — hard work, honestly, a little bit of luck getting the opportunity,“ Elliss said. ”When Bentley got hurt last year, you never want to see a guy go down, but that’s what gave me the opportunity to play.
“And, you know, I just tried to run with it. God’s blessed me immensely. I can’t complain.”
Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks WR/return specialist
Shaheed, the former Weber State All-American return specialist, has made a name for himself as a special teams ace at the next level.
Even after going undrafted in 2022, Shaheed latched on with New Orleans and his speed helped him find a role with the Saints.
Over his first three NFL seasons, he had nearly 100 receptions and more than 1,500 receiving yards as the Saints’ deep threat, while also proving to be one of the league’s top return specialists.
Midway through his fourth NFL season, Shaheed was dealt a change of scenery when he was traded to Seattle.
Though he doesn’t contribute nearly as much now as a pass catcher, his return skills have proven valuable numerous times for the Seahawks, headlined by his 59-yard punt return for a touchdown in Week 17 that flipped the momentum in comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams.
In the AFC divisional round, Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown in an eventual 41-6 win over San Francisco.
His big-play capability could be a momentum changer in Sunday’s game as well.
“It means everything just to come out here and be a part of this team,” Shaheed told reporters after the team’s divisional-round win over the 49ers.
“It’s super special, being a part of the wide receiver room — it’s like nothing else I’ve experienced. It’s been nothing but a dream come true, and we got to just keep stacking wins."
Connor O’Toole, Seahawks LB
O’Toole, the former University of Utah edge rusher, is the lone rookie in the group of Utah ties.
He went undrafted last offseason before signing with the Seahawks. During the preseason, he had a sack and nine QB pressures, subsequently making Seattle’s 53-man active roster.
O’Toole’s opportunities have come in spades thus far for the Seahawks, primarily on special teams. Of his 125 total snaps during the regular season, O’Toole played 97 on special teams.
His biggest play to date was recovering a fumble on a kickoff in the Seahawks’ 38-14 win over Washington in Week 9, and it led to a touchdown on the next play.
“We have a routine, and we just stick to it every week. Everyone feels comfortable in it, and when you do it week in and week out and you see results, you just stay the same,” O’Toole told Seattle Sports Radio following the win over the Commanders.
“I always just stay loose and focused and just let the results speak for themselves.”
Miles Battle, Patriots CB
Unlike the others on this list, Battle isn’t on the active roster — he is on New England’s practice squad, and barring something unlikely, Battle won’t suit up for Sunday’s game.
He spent one season as a transfer at the University of Utah in 2023 before going undrafted the next year.
After being waived by Kansas City during final cuts ahead of the 2024 season, Battle eventually landed with New England. While much of his time with the Patriots has been on the practice squad, he has been called up to the active roster at times. He played five games during the 2025 season.
As New England prepared for the playoffs, he was briefly released by the Patriots on Jan. 8, only to re-sign to the team’s practice squad a little less than a week later.
Now, Battle is helping his team prepare for Super Bowl LX, just like the other four Utah ties are doing this week.