Broncos CB Pat Surtain's plans after winning DPOY: ‘Why not get another one'

New York Times

30-06-2025

PARKER, Colo. — Pat Surtain II rubbed his chin as he briefly considered the question, even though it was one he had already pondered himself. The 25-year-old cornerback won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award six months ago, at the conclusion of his fourth pro season with the Denver Broncos. The honor is part of an early career résumé that has him firmly on a Hall of Fame trajectory, a true lockdown corner in a passer-friendly era.
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So, what's next?
'There's always something out there to do better,' Surtain said before hosting a free camp for 300 kids at Legend High School on a sweltering Saturday morning just outside Denver. 'Why not get another one?'
Back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards would put Surtain in rarified air. No player has done it since superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald claimed the honor for the second straight season in 2018. No defensive back has ever claimed the award in consecutive seasons, dating back to the award's inception in 1971. The main reason to believe Surtain could achieve the historic feat resides in his technical mastery of the position. Surtain has been a polished cover corner since the moment he entered the league as a rookie in 2021, and his anticipation skills — like the kind that led to his 100-yard pick six against the Las Vegas Raiders last season — have grown with experience.
Another reason why Surtain producing another DPOY season isn't an outlandish thought: The Broncos did significant work this offseason to reconstruct their defense in a way that could make it harder for teams to avoid the superstar cornerback.
'The respect level for Patrick has gone up' across the league, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said during the team's minicamp earlier this month. 'So how we adjust off that is huge.'
When the Broncos meticulously broke down their personnel following a season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the playoffs, they found vulnerability in the spine of their defense. Teams were able to funnel elements of their passing game inside too often, particularly on third down, and thus mitigate some of the risk that comes with challenging Surtain. 'The inner triangle,' as head coach Sean Payton calls it, needed to be fortified. Enter three key additions the Broncos believe will do just that: inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and versatile rookie Jahdae Barron.
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Added to a pass rush that had a team-record 63 sacks in 2024 and returns every key member of the front seven, the three new additions help form what may be the most complete defense Surtain has been a part of since entering the league — at least on paper. Greenlaw, who missed the offseason program while rehabbing a quad injury, and Hufanga join the Broncos with considerable injury histories dating to their time together with the San Francisco 49ers, but both players have been stalwarts for championship-level defenses.
'Those guys are going to come in and bring that winning atmosphere,' said Surtain, who was shut out of the postseason during his first three seasons in Denver. 'They've been to Super Bowls and know how to win at a high level.'
Barron, meanwhile, could give the Broncos more of a chaos agent near the line of scrimmage out of the nickel spot. He had 18 1/2 tackles for loss across his last three seasons at Texas. His disruptiveness stems from an ability to diagnose tendencies — not to mention a physical play style for a defensive back who is 5-foot-11 and 194 pounds — that has already impressed veteran teammates.
'He's catching on really well,' Surtain said of Barron, who played corner, nickel, dime and safety spots throughout his college career. 'Obviously, at Texas, he was a smart, savvy player who understands the game. That will translate well into our defense and I'm excited for him.'
More from Surtain on what he's eyeing next in his already decorated career pic.twitter.com/iDRKCwceml
— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) June 28, 2025
The hope for the Broncos is that more well-rounded personnel will force quarterbacks to take more chances in Surtain's direction. Or, conversely, that Surtain's presence will push action elsewhere on a defense that should now be more equipped to benefit from the way Surtain can change the geometry of the game. As long as it all pushes in the direction of Surtain's true post-DPOY ambition, the cornerback isn't much concerned with where the ball is being thrown.
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'The main goal is to win the Super Bowl,' he said. 'That's why I play the game, is to win. That's the end goal for me.'
The pursuit of championship aspirations will begin in less than a month when the Broncos convene for training camp. In the meantime, Surtain's free camp was another opportunity to engage with a community he has poured himself into since arriving in Denver and then quickly setting up his charitable foundation. His efforts have focused on S.T.E.A.M. education (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) and last fall the foundation awarded two $50,000 grants for two high schools in Denver to build 'Inspiration Rooms' that help foster S.T.E.A.M. growth. Manual High School in Denver, for example, is using its room to expand its burgeoning robotics program.
The football camp Saturday was a chance for Surtain to get back to his roots. He vividly remembers tagging along with his father, former NFL cornerback Patrick Surtain, as he ran camps for kids during pro stops in Florida and Kansas City. The Broncos' star cornerback said he still abides by the same message his dad tried to convey at those camps.
'It's just teaching them at an early age that the simple way is the right way to do things,' Surtain said. 'Especially early on, at their age and just starting their journey, you just want to elaborate that doing the simple things right pays off.'
As campers went through a stretch line at the start of Saturday's camp, a dozen or so kids surrounded Surtain, a small mob wrapping the cornerback in a roving bear hug. The 6-foot-4 Surtain smiled as he towered above the crowd of young fans. It was a fitting, visual reminder. Even as the Broncos build the defensive roster elsewhere, there's still no mistaking the centerpiece.