Pat Surtain II embodies Deion Sanders’ philosophy of “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good.”
The cornerback has worn stylish pregame fits that draw praise from teammates. And he brings that same swagger onto the field.
During Denver’s previous matchup against the Raiders last month, Surtain broke out a pair of blue and white Nike Air Diamond Turf 96 TD — the Buffs coach’s signature cleat. Wearing Sanders’ cleats, he channeled the Hall of Fame defensive back, intercepting the ball near the end zone and sprinting 100 yards down the field for a touchdown.
Surtain is among the handful of players from the college and professional ranks to wear Sanders’ iconic cleat this fall. For the 24-year-old defensive back, the cleat is a great representation of Sanders.
“It embraces the culture of who he is…Prime Time,” Surtain told The Denver Post. “It makes you feel like you have that swag and confidence (on the field).”
The Nike Air Diamond Turf debuted in 1993 when Sanders played for the Falcons. In Denver’s win over Atlanta last week, Surtain wore the cleat version of the original Diamond Turf. Surtain said he was given the cleat by Nike since it hasn’t been released to the public.
In 1996, Nike released the Air Diamond Turf 96 Max, which Sanders wears on the sideline during Buffs games. The majority of CU’s players, including quarterback Shedeur Sanders, wear the cleat version of the iconic sneaker.
During the NFL season, several notable players have been seen wearing Diamond Turf cleats. Among them: running back Derrick Henry (Ravens), quarterback Kyler Murray (Cardinals), tight end Isaiah Likely (Ravens), quarterback Josh Allen (Bills) and edge rusher Brian Burns (Giants).
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James even brought the Prime effect to the NBA hardwood. During the Lakers’ first-round series against the Nuggets, James wore a special version of the LeBron 21, which incorporated the design from the Air Diamond Turf 96 Max.
Surtain thinks the reason players have gravitated toward the cleat is because of simplicity.
“I think it’s an absolutely cool design,” Surtain said. “It’s not doing too much but it has the right type of structure for a cleat. For players (to wear) them every Sunday, it’s a special cleat.”
Clean play from Bo: Sean Payton’s vision for Bo Nix during the draft isn’t crystal clear just yet. But it is starting to come to fruition.
Nix has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, the league’s Rookie of the Month and is a two-time Rookie of the Week recipient. But one of the most intriguing things about Nix’s development is his ability to keep the ball out of harm’s way.
This fall, Nix and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels are tied for the second-fewest turnover-worthy plays (six) among NFL starting quarterbacks with at least 350 dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. The site defines such plays as a pass that has a high percentage chance of being intercepted or an instance when a player does a poor job of taking care of the ball and fumbles.
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson has committed the fewest turnover-worthy plays with five.
When the Broncos scouted Nix ahead of last April’s draft, Payton was impressed by the 24-year-old’s turnover and sack differential. In two seasons at Oregon, Nix had 74 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 13 turnover-worthy plays, according to PFF. He only had three picks and five turnover-worthy plays in his final season with the Ducks.
During the early weeks of Nix’s rookie season, he struggled to take care of the football. He had four interceptions and five turnover-worthy plays in the first three games. Since Week 4, Nix has recorded only two picks and one turnover-worthy play. And he has had seven games without a turnover-worthy play.
Nix’s improved decision-making has played a part in the team’s overall success. The Broncos are 6-1 when Nix doesn’t throw an interception and 0-4 when he does.
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