The Denver Broncos saw its first player in 46 years and just second in franchise history win NFL Defensive Player of the Year when cornerback Patrick Surtain II took home the honor at the NFL Honors on February 6.
The people running the teleprompter for the NFL Honors apparently thought they were going to see someone else.
As Surtain went up to the stage to accept the award, the graphic on the screen showed Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett — last year’s winner — as the recipient for the 2024 season.
Surtain is the first NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner for the Broncos since linebacker Randy Gradishar won in 1978.
“Patrick Surtain II is the NFL Defensive Player of the Year,” Awful Announcing posted on its official X account. “Call it a hunch, but we think the graphics team was expecting someone else.”
Surtain also became just the seventh cornerback in NFL history to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the first since New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore in 2019.
“Huh? That ain’t Myles Garrett. How Patrick Surtain get Myles G’s Award? What in the Kansas City Refs is going on here?” Geeks Run the World posted on its X account.
“Fox just put up the CG naming Patrick Surtain as ‘Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett,” X user @natedogthe4th posted. “I guess even the production team doesn’t know who’s winning these things? Either way, the director had to be screaming his head off at the Chyron Op/Producer.”
“Oh man, Pat Surtain is accepting the award on behalf of Myles Garrett. What a guy!” X user @BriCamp27 posted.
Surtain, a 2021 first round pick (No. 9 overall) out of Alabama, earned NFL All-Pro honors for the second time and was named to his third Pro Bowl in 2024. He staked his claim as the NFL’s premier cover corner with 4 interceptions for an NFL-leading 132 yards, including a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in a Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Broncos went 10-7 and made the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.
Surtain Had Season for the History Books
Denver signed Surtain to the largest contract for his position in NFL history with a 4-year, $96 million extension in September 2024 — one where he showed he really had no peers at cornerback. With 2 games left in the regular season, NFL on CBS shared an insane statistic about Surtain’s performance.
From NFL on CBS: “Patrick Surtain II has allowed a passer rating of 39.1 when targeted this season. A QB’s passer rating would be higher if they threw it into the ground on each pass (39.6).”
Mull that one over for a second as Surtain cruises toward his second NFL All-Pro selection and third Pro Bowl in 4 seasons — it’s better to just throw an intentional incomplete pass than to try and throw at Surtain.
Surtain was the star on a defense that saw many of the players around him raise themselves to elite status as well — first-year starter Riley Moss showed he could be an elite player at the opposite cornerback. Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was also an NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate was named NFL All-Pro for the first time, as did defensive end Zach Allen earned NFL All-Pro.
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