Pat Surtain II Adds Two More Accolades to His Name

DENVER- The Denver Broncos capped off one of their most successful seasons in recent years, making a playoff appearance for the first time since 2015, with a 10-7 record, and securing the No. 7 seed in the AFC. A number of players played pivotal roles in this achievement, including former Alabama cornerback Pat Surtain II. 

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With Surtain anchoring the defense, which ranked among the league's elite, the Broncos allowed an average of just 18.3 points per game, placing them third in that category. Surtain concluded the season with: 45 tackles, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four interceptions, 11 passes defended, and a touchdown.

Remarkably, Surtain permitted only 306 receiving yards, the lowest total for any National Football League cornerback with at least 375 coverage snaps, according to NextGen Stats. He also recorded the second-lowest passer rating against him when targeted, at 59.1.

What stands out is that Surtain allowed just 66 yards after the catch, the second-fewest among corners with a similar number of coverage snaps.

In Week 5, he intercepted Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew and returned it 100 yards, marking the second-longest pick-six in Broncos history.

The former No. 9 overall draft pick has already been selected to four Pro Bowls and is currently the second-highest paid cornerback in the league. His consistent performance has enabled him to effectively neutralize opposing top wide receivers, complicating matters for rival offenses. 

Surtain earned recognition as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 5 and was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November. Additionally, the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) honored him with selections to its ALL-NFL and ALL-NFC teams.

On Wednesday, Surtain added two more honors to his impressive resume. He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Year by the 101 Awards, an accolade determined by a panel of 101 sportswriters and broadcasters. With this recognition, Surtain becomes the third Bronco to receive the 101 Awards' AFC Defensive Player of the Year title, following in the footsteps of Lyle Alzado (1977) and Randy Gradishar (1978). He is also the first cornerback to win this award since Stephon Gilmore in 2019. In addition, Surtain was recognized as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the PFWA, marking the first time a Bronco has received this honor since 1992.

Other achievements include:

• Tied his career high in interceptions
• Recorded double-digit pass breakups for the fourth consecutive year
• Allowed the fewest total yards per coverage snap and lowest target rate among cornerbacks with at least 400 coverage snaps

Furthermore, he is a contender for the DPOY award, which will be announced on Feb. 6  during the NFL Honors Awards Show.

2024-25 NFL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR ODDS (Per Vegasinsider.com)

▪T.J. Watt -130

▪Patrick Surtain II +150

▪Mayles Garrett +950

▪Andrew Van Ginkel +2200

▪Will Anderson Jr. +5000

▪Trey Hendrickson +6600

▪Nik Bonitto +6600

▪Danielle Hunter +10000

▪Jonathan Greenard +10000