The scariest moment of the season for the Denver Broncos came when news broke NFL All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II was going to miss 4-6 weeks after he partially tore his pectoral muscle in a Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
How, pray tell, would the Broncos forge on without the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year? For any other team you could have chalked up several defeats to losing a player of that caliber.
For the Broncos, it has only meant piling up more wins and more resiliency as they waited for Surtain’s return, which will now come in Week 13 against the Washington Commanders.
“Broncos All-Pro CB Pat Surtain II (pec) is off the injury report and set to make his return Sunday night vs. Washington,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account on Friday, November 28.
That puts Surtain at least 2 weeks ahead of the worst case scenario schedule as he’s missed the Broncos’ last 3 games leading up their bye in Week 12.
The Broncos are 9-2, winners of 8 consecutive games and in the running for the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs.
Getting Surtain back almost seems like an unfair advantage at this point — remember this is the same defense that’s on pace to break the NFL record for single season sacks set by the 1984 Chicago Bears.
More Insight Into Extent of Surtain’s Injury
Surtain told DenverSports.com’s Andrew Mason the Broncos took a cautious approach to his return from injury — the right approach to a player the franchise invested a 4-year, $96 million contract extension in before last season.
“Obviously we know we’re at a good state with the team, so … I took my time with it,” Surtain told Mason on November 28.
“Pat Surtain II is officially back from what he described as a partially torn pec,” The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel wrote on X. “He’ll wear a harness Sunday night at Washington.”
Surtain Still Game’s Elite Cover Cornerback
If you want to know what kind of level Surtain is playing at right now, consider there is no real competition for the unofficial title of the NFL’s elite cover cornerback right now.
It’s Surtain and then it’s everybody else.
In ESPN’s preseason position rankings, Surtain took 90 percent of all first place votes for cornerbacks as voted upon by a group of NFL coaches, executives and scouts.
Surtain kept his iron grip on the top spot in the ESPN Top 10 position rankings for the second consecutive year and increased his advantage over the competition by a considerable margin.
“Surtain’s grip on the top spot was stronger this time around, as he earned nearly 90% of the first-place votes compared to slightly above 50% last summer,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 17. “He has clearly separated himself from the field … On 56 targets, Surtain produced a strong 19.6% ball-hawking rate with 11 pass deflections and four interceptions. His 5.5 yards allowed per target was top five in the league and he gave up just two touchdowns all season.”
Surtain was the first NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner for the Broncos since linebacker Randy Gradishar in 1978 and the first cornerback to win since New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore in 2019.
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