Broncos DC Explains Why CB Pat Surtain II Faces 'Tough' DPoY Outlook

Let's hope Patrick Surtain II did enough to distinguish himself as the NFL's best defensive player in 2024.
Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) gestures after a play in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High.
Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) gestures after a play in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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Denver Broncos superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II is the favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, but that doesn't count for anything yet. After all, the final tally is subject to the vagaries of the voters, and various other factors can come into play. 

The Broncos secondary was gashed by quarterbacks like Jameis Winston, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen down the stretch this past season and in the Wildcard playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills.  Quarterbacks still avoided going toe-to-toe with Surtain as they mercilessly picked on other Denver defensive backs, especially Riley Moss. 

While Surtain did nothing to hurt his chances while the Broncos secondary relinquished big passing numbers to opponents, not getting much air time could cloud how dominant he was this season. The truth is that splash plays like interceptions always help garner additional votes for prestigious awards like the DPoY, so the absence of highlight-reel efforts toward the season's end could have a bearing on whether he ultimately gets the nod. 

Indeed, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph recently mused that Surtain living on a coverage island might jeopardize his chances of winning the DPoY award, but he remained hopeful. 

"It's tough for a corner to get recognized because when he's covering his guy and the ball doesn't go there, no one notices that, right?" Joseph said before the Bills loss. "But he's played great. He's a dominant player. Obviously, if he wins the award, I wouldn't be surprised by that." 

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Older sections of Broncos Country might be getting flashbacks to how the voters previously stiffed Hall-of-Fame cornerback Champ Bailey in the DPOY sweepstakes after his best-ever season back in 2006. Heaven knows Bailey was robbed despite racking up an eye-popping 10 interceptions during his landmark campaign. 

On the flip side, Surtain compiled only four interceptions this season, including a pick-six that he returned for a record-breaking 100 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. Surtain has separated himself from Sauce Gardner as the consensus top cover cornerback in the NFL, so perhaps that reputation will hold sway.

Factoring in how much the Pittsburgh Steelers struggled during their stretch run, it stands to reason that T.J. Watt's push for the DPOY award might now lack momentum among the voters. By the same token, the Philadelphia Eagles' strong push deep into the playoffs could make their star linebacker Zack Baun a serious threat to prevent Surtain from scooping up his first DPOY trophy on February 6 when the NFL Honors ceremony is held and the winner is announced. 

Fingers crossed.


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Keith Cummings
KEITH CUMMINGS

Keith Cummings has covered the Denver Broncos at Mile High Huddle since 2019. His works have been featured on CBSSports.com, BleacherReport.com, Yahoo.com, and MSN.com.