It’s not clear what more Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II might need to do in order to get the type of respect he deserves at this point in his career.
While Surtain might be the most dominant defensive player in the entire NFL right now and is the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, all of that seems to have been forgotten with the 2025 regular season right around the corner.
The Athletic’s Mike Jones took the disrespect a step further when he left Surtain outside the Top 5 on his list of the 25 best NFL players 25 and under.
Surtain, who signed a 4-year, $96 million contract extension in September 2024, won’t turn 26 years old until next April and came in at No. 6.
He wasn’t even the top rated defensive player … or even second rated at that. Surtain found himself behind Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. 2 and Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson at No. 4.
While Carter is coming off an NFL All-Pro season and Super Bowl win in 2024, Hutchinson only played 5 games in 2024 before he broke his leg.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase took the No. 1 spot after winning the Triple Crown last year by leading the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
“Already a three-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro selection, (Surtain) earned AP Defensive Player of the Year honors after a season that saw him record four interceptions and 45 tackles even though quarterbacks do their best to avoid throwing his way,” Jones wrote on August 19.
First Broncos Defensive POY Since 1978
Surtain, 6-foot-2 and 210 pound, is the son of 2-time NFL All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain and was selected No. 9 overall in the 2021 NFL draft.
In his final college season at Alabama in 2020, he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Unanimous All-American on the way to winning a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2020.
In 2024, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year — the first Bronco to win the honor since linebacker Randy Gradishar in 1978. The Broncos also made their first playoff appearance since 2024.
Surtain recently told RG.org’s DJ Siddiqi he thinks that ceiling for his team in 2025 could be making it all the way to the Super Bowl.
“I feel like that’s the topic that some people look at and say, ‘Are the Broncos Super Bowl contenders?’ I feel like we are contenders in our own right,” Surtain said on March 17. “I feel like we are building success and I think we are headed in the right direction for sure.”
Broncos Made Genius Move Signing Surtain
The Broncos should be praised for signing Surtain to an extension after 3 seasons — it already represents some pretty incredible savings.
Headed into 2025, Surtain is almost unanimously thought of as the NFL’s best cornerback even though he might be toward the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of pay in 2026.
In the one year since signing his deal, Surtain has already dropped down to the fifth highest paid cornerback in terms of average annual salary at $24 million per year.
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