Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II named AP Defensive Player of the Year
NEW ORLEANS — Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II was named the 2024 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, it was announced Thursday at NFL Honors in New Orleans.
Given annually to the NFL’s top defensive player, Surtain becomes just the second Bronco to be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, joining Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Randy Gradishar (1978). He also becomes the first cornerback to win the award since New England’s Stephon Gilmore in 2019 and the seventh player at his position to be honored, joiningGilmore, Charles Woodson (2009), Deion Sanders (1994), Rod Woodson (1993), Lester Hayes (1980) and Mel Blount (1975).
Only five players have won the award at a younger age than Surtain, 24: (Luke Kuechly—2013, J.J. Watt—2012, Cortez Kennedy—1992, Lawrence Taylor—1981, ’82 and Jack Lambert—1976). He is also the first cornerback—and 10th player overall—to earn AP Defensive Player of the Year honors and at least two first-team All-Pro selections within his first four seasons.
Surtain was named to the Pro Bowl for the third time and earned first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press for the second time in his career in 2024. He became just the third cornerback in team history to be named first-team All-Pro by the AP multiple times and the first Bronco at his position to be named to the Pro Bowl in three of his first four seasons.
He also earned multiple other honors during the season, including PFWA Defensive Player of the Year, PFWA All-NFL team, AFC Defensive Player of the Month (November) and AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 5).
Surtain started all 16 games played for the Broncos in 2024, totaling 45 tackles (34 solo), four interceptions (132 yds., 1 TD), 11 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Additionally, he allowed the fewest passing yards (306) and second-lowest passer rating when targeted (59.1) among cornerbacks with at least 375 coverage snaps per NextGen Stats.
Selected by Denver ninth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Surtain has started 65-of-66 games played in his career and totaled 232 tackles (184 solo), 11 interceptions (199 yds., 2 TDs), 47 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He is the first Bronco to record at least 10 passes defensed in each of his first four seasons in the NFL while his 47 passes defensed are tied for the most in team history by a player within his first four years.
Since joining the NFL in 2021, Surtain has recorded the third-lowest passer rating when targeted (76.6) among cornerbacks with at least 1,500 coverage snaps according to NextGen Stats. Additionally, he is tied for the sixth-most interceptions (11) among cornerbacks and tied for the seventh-most passes defensed (47).
