“It was an embarkment of a new journey,” Surtain says. “At the beginning of the year, it was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unknowns going on around the league on what this team may be. To voice out those opinions and voice out the critics, and make it to that stage, I think it was a huge accomplishment for this team.”
Surtain played a big role in leading the Broncos to a 10-7 record and is the favorite to win the 2024 Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year award for his contributions at corner.
Quarterbacks don't like throwing to Surtain's side of the field, and he makes them pay when they try. The 6'2 defensive back had four interceptions, forced and recovered a fumble, and recorded 34 solo tackles in 2024. According to Pro Football Reference, the average passer rating this NFL this season was 92.3. Against Surtain, they registered a 56.
When matched up against the NFL's top pass-catchers like Travis Kelce, DK Metcalf, Ja’Marr Chase, Zay Flowers and Brock Bowers, Surtain brought their production to a trickle.
Even with all of those numbers on his side, Surtain would be bucking the trend if he wins DPOY. The other finalists — the Philadelphia Eagles' Zack Baun, the Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett, the Cincinnati Bengals' Trey Hendrickson and the Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt — are all pass rushers, and pass rushers have taken home the trophy for four straight seasons.
“It would mean a lot,” Surtain says of how winning the award would feel. “Being one of the rare cases where a defensive back wins it….that would be a huge accomplishment on its own and something to add to my trophy case.”
The last corner to win the award was Stephon Gilmore in 2019, and the only other Bronco to win is Randy Gradishar, who took it home in 1978. Even longtime Bronco Champ Bailey, widely considered one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history, never won one.
This year, Surtain will be joined at the NFL honors ceremony by Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and head coach Sean Payton, who are up for Offensive Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively.
“It's been a pleasure being with Bo and Sean,” Surtain says. “You see a lot of competitiveness in both of them. You can just tell that they both want to win. …It's great to have both of those guys on the team.”
Having Payton, who has won a Super Bowl as a head coach, is huge, according to Surtain. And despite being a rookie last season, Surtain praises Nix's calm demeanor and playmaking ability.
Staying With the Broncos
Surtain cites the Walton-Penner ownership group, which bought the team in August 2022, as one of the reasons he signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension to stay with the team last fall despite having yet to make the playoffs at the time. He says the ownership group has brought a family-friendly atmosphere that puts players first, investing in a new state-of-the-art training facility and headquarters in Englewood, which is currently under construction. Playing on a team with young talent and a proven coach in Payton was a major factor, too.
“That's one of the main reasons why I wanted to extend my time here with the Broncos, because I see a lot of greatness within this team and a lot that we could build on,” Surtain says. “Especially after this year, making the playoffs, getting the winning record, I think that's a huge testament toward this team and what we have for the future.”
Surtain has long been heralded as the future of the Broncos franchise, but he's played like an established star since arriving in the NFL. If he wins DPOY, he will cement his legacy further by joining just six other NFL legends who played cornerback to win the award, including Deion Sanders who is currently the head coach at the University of Colorado.
Surtain Thinks Travis Hunter Can Play Both Ways in the NFL — and so Can He
CU’s football resurgence has somewhat matched the Broncos, with the Buffaloes heading to a bowl game for the first time in four years under Sanders’s leadership. A large part of the success for both teams came from cornerbacks, with the Broncos relying on Surtain and the Buffaloes getting amazing play from two-way athlete and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who has said he’d like to keep playing both offense and defense in the NFL.Surtain thinks Hunter can do it.
“Whatever he put his mind to, he could go out there and do it,” Surtain says. “Obviously he's a great player; he's had great people around him telling him to do the right thing. As long as he has that same drive, that same work ethic, and never gets complacent, I think the sky's the limit for him.”
Although he thinks Hunter is set, Surtain says his one piece of advice would be to keep being himself and staying true to himself.
The idea of playing both ways appeals to Surtain, too.
In the past, Surtain has said he would like to play wide receiver if flag football were to become an Olympic sport. He says that’s still true, and he’d even be down to run some routes on offense for the Broncos.
“Why not?” he says. “Put me at receiver. Let me make a couple plays here and there. I could do it. Whatever route you need me to, whatever you need me to do, I'm there. …Me at receiver is very dynamic. Playing cornerback and going up against the top wideouts of the game each and every week, I think that would definitely help my case out even more.”
But for now, Surtain is still focused on being the best defender in the league. He's currently leading the betting odds for the DPOY award at -550, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The next-closest is Watt at +140.
Surtain already won the Pro Football Writers of America Defensive Player of the Year Award, which he calls a huge honor. Winning the AP DPOY award would mean even more, Surtain says, adding that the trophy case in his basement is filling up quickly.
“I'm running out a little bit of real estate,” Surtain says. “I'm gonna have to change some stuff up, obviously. If I get that DPOY it's definitely going up on there. Some other trophies may get left off.”
Surtain will find out if he needs to rearrange his trophy case at the NFL Honors ceremony on February 6.
Keeping it Clean
Surtain visited the Westword office on Tuesday, January 28, on behalf of Tide detergent. (How else do you think we landed this?)As someone who spends a lot of time in the gym and on the field, keeping it clean matters to most NFL players, according to Surtain. Most, but not all.
The all-pro corner finds Nix so responsible, that of all his teammates he thinks Nix is the guy most likely to do his own laundry — at a high frequency.
“He's a very routine guy. Everything for him has to be in place and in order,” Surtain says. “I hope everybody does their own laundry on the team, matter of fact, but if I was to choose a guy, it would be him for sure.”
As for the opposite end of the spectrum, Surtain calls out defensive tackle Malcolm Roach for needing to do his laundry more often. Surtain suggests Tide Evo, a new tile-form detergent only available in Colorado right now. Billed as a sustainable alternative to detergent in a plastic bottle, the tiles come in a recyclable paper box.
“When you out there playing defense, you trying to leave a clean slate out there,” Surtain says. “You try to not allow the opposing offense to score, create any momentum. When you using Tide Evo, you want to do a clean slate on your clothing and just erase everything.”
Hell yeah, Patrick. Keep that slate, and those new Broncos jerseys, clean.
