Locals in the NFL: Patriots, Seahawks send 6 former Utah products to Super Bowl LX

AROUND THE SHIELD — The NFL's party in the Bay will feel like a 1995 throwback.

The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots advanced to Super Bowl Sunday, setting up a winner-take-all final between the two teams that combined for 26 wins in the 2025 regular season.

And while plenty of focus will (rightfully) be on quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Drake Maye, the matchup will also feature six former Utah high school or college football player (five players, one assistant coach) on football's biggest stage.

Here's a look at the AFC and NFC championship weekend.

Seattle 31, Los Angeles 27

The midseason trade that sent Rashid Shaheed from New Orleans to Seattle drew mostly rave reviews across the NFL, and the Seahawks showed why they gave up a fourth- and fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft in Sunday's NFC championship.

The former Weber State star hauled in a key 51-yard reception from Sam Darnold, who set a franchise record with 346 yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks' win over the Rams.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown, out-dueling Los Angeles counterpart until the closing seconds of the win.

But Shaheed, who also returned punts and kicks for Seattle, helped Darnold surround Smith-Njigba with talent that also included four clutch passes to Kenneth Walker and 36 yards from former Rams star Cooper Kupp.

"Shaheed was effective in his first three-plus years in New Orleans, but the move put a bigger spotlight on how much of an impact he can make as an electric player with the ball in his hands," NFL analyst Marc Ross wrote this week. "For those of you who didn't see last Saturday's divisional round blowout of San Francisco, Shaheed is Percy Harvin-esque with the goods to alter a game as a returner, as evidenced by his 95-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff.

"Shaheed is lightning in a bottle with the talent to elevate a lot of offenses."

Seahawks (15-4)

• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Starting receiver caught one pass for 51 yards; fair caught two punts; and returned one kick for 21 yards on special teams
• Connor O'Toole, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker made one tackle on special teams

Rams (14-6)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem High: Starting receiver caught nine passes for 165 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown, and added 4 yards on a rush

New England 10, Denver 7

Drake Maye carried the New England Patriots within a game of their first Super Bowl title since 2018 as much with his legs as his arm, running for 65 yards and throwing for 86 in the AFC championship game at Denver.

But behind the second-year, first-round pick already with two Pro Bowl selections is an assortment of hard-nosed teammates on offense, defense and special teams.

Or in the case of Khyiris Tonga, all three.

The West Valley City native had three tackles and a tackle for loss on defense, and also played fullback in a couple of key short yardage situations as New England extended the franchise's Super Bowl appearance record with No. 12 Sunday afternoon.

"That's a guy that plays on three phases," Patriots coach Mike Vrabel told reporters back in November, thanking them for spotlighting the two-way player. "He helps us win defensively, he helps us win offensively, and then he goes out there and stands in the way of three guys on the field on goal protection unit."

Tonga and his defensive teammates held the Broncos to 181 yards on 58 plays, including just 79 rushing yards in a game that started with clear skies and ended with a snow storm 2 1/2 hours later.

The former BYU and Granger High star recorded a tackle for loss when he met RJ Harvey on first-and-10 at the New England 33 for a 3-yard loss. But his biggest contribution may have come on offense.

On the Patriots' first drive of the second half, New England faced a first-and-one at the 8-yard line. That's when Tonga and fellow defensive tackle Milton Williams checked into the backfield, and the 6-foot-2, 335-pound part-time fullback helped push Maye the extra yard to earned a first down.

Denver challenged the spot of the ruling, but it was upheld — and four plays later, Andres Borregales kicked a 23-yard field goal for the go-ahead score with 5:29 left in the third quarter.

With the win, Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss got the best of his brother, former Utah linebacker Jonah Elliss. It was second time the third-oldest child of former Utah star Luther and Rebecca Elliss, who played a year at Judge Memorial in 2014-15 before graduating from Valor Christian in Colorado before a collegiate career at Idaho, beat a sibling on New England's march to the Super Bowl, a week after a win over former Utah linebacker Jonah Elliss and the Buffalo Bills.

"I do not like it when they play against each other," Rebecca Elliss told Patriots.com. "As a mom, I just hate it. My heart hurts for them. … No matter what, whoever wins, the other person will be at the Super Bowl supporting them. It's a huge blessing so you just have to remember that perspective. I need to remember that, because I can get a little too nervous."

Christian Elliss started at linebacker and finished with four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble on defense.

Patriots (17-3)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger High: Reserve nose tackle had three stops and a tackle for loss on defense, and also played fullback in short yardage situations
• Christian Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker had four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble
• Miles Battle, CB, Utah: Did not play (practice squad)
• Former Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton is in his first season as an offensive assistant with New England.

Broncos (13-7)

• Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake High: Started at left tackle
• Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker had two tackles and a tackle for loss on defense, and one tackle on special teams
• Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah: Did not play (practice squad)
• Karene Reid, LB, Utah/Timpview High: Inactive for AFC Championship
• Kyrese White, WR, Utah State/Utah/Roy High: Did not play (practice squad)

Related topics