Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II won the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award during the NFL Honors show on Thursday. Surtain joins Troy Polamalu and Stephon Gilmore as the only defensive backs to win the award since 2010.
Yes, he is only the third defensive back to win the award since the start of the 2010s. In a year where there was no clear-cut top pass rusher, Surtain was consistent all year long, shutting down opposing WR1s weekly en route to his first DPOY award.
The NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award isn’t designed for cornerbacks to win — only two DBs have won it since 2010.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 7, 2025
DPOY is often a stat-driven award, and lockdown CBs simply don’t rack up big numbers. But Patrick Surtain II was truly dominant this season in a way we do… pic.twitter.com/PP4CZDgaMD
Through four years in the NFL, Surtain now has three Pro Bowls, two All-Pros, and a DPOY award. Folks, he is turning just 25 years of age in April. He had four interceptions in 2024, 11 passes defended, one defensive touchdown, and 45 total tackles.
According to Pro Football Reference, Surtain allowed an opposing passer rating of just 58.9 when in coverage, allowing just 38 receptions for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Surtain was credited with zero missed tackles and was only allowing a 61.3% completion percentage when in coverage.
What makes this award so insane is that the best CBs in the NFL simply do not have the ball thrown their way at all - that's what makes them so good. However, despite only being targeted 62 times in coverage, Surtain was able to leave a big enough mark to the voters.
The Denver Broncos rode a top-5 defense and a developing offense to a 10-7 record in the 2024 season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Patrick Surtain was the best player on that defense and was the glue that held the secondary together. And if there was any doubt that George Paton made the right decision taking Surtain over Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft, I think Surtain put those doubts to rest.
It was an odd move at first, but it's clear that George Paton did not think Justin Fields was going to develop into a franchise QB, and somehow, Surtain was the second cornerback taken in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Broncos got themselves a player in PS2 who is very much on a Hall of Fame pace through the first four seasons of his career.
Broncos Country is incredibly lucky to be able to watch Patrick Surtain II every week. This is a huge honor and hopefully one DPOY of many for Surtain.