Preparing to enter his third season in the National Football League, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II reflected on his All-Pro recognition from peers and media, shared his thoughts on new head coach Sean Payton and more.
Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II reflects on All-Pro recognition
Ahead of Super Bowl 57 in Phoenix Arizona, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II sat down with Mile High Sports at radio row fresh off of his first Pro Bowl experience. The soon-to-be third-year cornerback has consistently elevated and exceeded expectations in his first two seasons and hopes Denver can soon play in the big game once again.
Recently, Surtain was recognized by his peers as part of the NFLPA’s first-ever player-led All-Pro voting. On top of that, the Broncos cornerback was voted a First-Team All-Pro by the Associated Press.
“To get that type of recognition is huge,” Surtain told Mile High Sports. “Especially coming from those guys who are on the field every Sunday, who goes through the grind. Those guys who play at a high level — to get recognized by those guys speaks volumes. It gives credibility to your play and how well you played this year. When you get mentioned in that regard by players, by high-ranking executives in the game — it means a lot and it speaks volumes in a positive way.”
His fast-rising success has taken the NFL world by storm, but with Surtain’s attention to detail and high level of preparation, it isn’t a surprise how fast he’s elevated into one of the league’s best players. The Broncos first-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft also reflected on this past season — playing with Justin Simmons, Damarri Mathis and the rest of the defensive backfield.
“With Damarri [Mathis] and Justin [Simmons], you get to learn from different types of experiences throughout the room,” Surtain said. “That’s what’s so great about the DB room. You’ve got Justin who’s a vet, who has been in the league, that’s a leader. You’ve got Damarri, a new guy who stepped into a new role — playing dominant football this year for us. You just learn a lot from those guys. You feel that connection and that bond within the room. That bond and connection helped us grow into a great room. Every time I go into meeting rooms and go through the week preparing for a team, I honestly have fun with those guys. It’s an enjoyment being around those guys and just to be preparing and having fun at a high level with them.”
Away from the football field, Surtain and his teammates bond and spend time together away from the facility with each other. In season, the defensive backs have dinner every single week together. Once the season ended, Surtain and his teammates took a retreat to Aspen, Colorado to go snowboarding. With a busy in-season schedule, Surtain said he finds time in the off-season to decompress and travel, recently making it to Phoenix for Super Bowl 57 media availability after spending last week in Las Vegas for the Pro Bowl, and France for fashion week.
Surtain discusses Sean Payton
With Sean Payton being hired as the next head coach of the Denver Broncos, Surtain said he was excited about the hire, but hadn’t yet spoken to Payton.
“The level of excitement is very high with him coming in,” Surtain told Mile High Sports. “Obviously he’s going to establish a new identity with the team. I know he’s going to want success from us each and every day because you’ve seen it year in and year out with how he coaches and his coaching style. He demands excellence in his team. I can’t wait to have those talks with him, those conversations with him leading up to the season because obviously, he’s a great coach — it takes more than just being a great coach, it’s something that you have to build within your locker room with the players and the organization. That makes you a great coach, not just coaching on the field — but building relationships with those guys, so I’m looking forward to that too.”
Payton’s objective as the next head coach of the Broncos is to help restore the winning culture the franchise previously had. Surtain will be one of the main cornerstone pieces of the franchise for years to come and will be one of the player’s Payton will be able to rely on the most.
