Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain has established himself as the greatest cover man in the NFL proper now. The reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year additionally earned extra recognition, this time as Sports Illustrated‘s cover athlete for the 2025 NFL season preview.
SI author Mitch Goldich recently profiled “Little Pat,” as he is affectionately identified to his household. Goldich profiled Surtain all the manner from his childhood, rising up with an All-Pro cornerback father, to changing into an All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year himself.
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In his article, Goldich interviewed Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. “Joseph raves about what a marvel Surtain is on the field,” wrote Goldich. “When he interviews corner prospects at the NFL combine and asks them whom they watch film of, they talk about Surtain. The coordinator believes anyone can learn from watching his star player. ‘[They may say], ‘I don’t have Patrick’s size,’ says Joseph. ‘I don’t have his length. I don’t have his speed, maybe not his physical talent. But, man, I can play with that leverage, I can play with that knee bend, I can play with that eye placement. How he pedal-plants and drives.’ It’s a coach’s dream.”
Surtain also demands excellence of himself. After the Broncos‘ near-historic loss to the Miami Dolphins, Surtain was the hardest critic of his own performance, calling it “Unforgivable.” He went on to inform Goldrich: “Obviously, they was good, but they ain’t that damn good. Scoring 70 points. I feel like we didn’t execute that game. And yeah, we just got whooped.”
While the Denver protection is set to be close to the prime of the NFL in 2025, Surtain at all times needs to be higher. And lofty expectations are a dime a dozen round the Mile High City these days. With head coach Sean Payton openly preaching about the Super Bowl being the final objective, Surtain can be the cornerstone of the protection going ahead.
“Big goals remain, and in a division stacked with genius coaches and a conference full of star quarterbacks, the Broncos still have their own mountains to climb,” wrote Goldich. “But Surtain maintains his confidence as he checks off one more career goal after another.”
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Surtain appears to be like towards one other profession 12 months as he leads the Broncos protection to hopefully one other 12 months of dominance and rising in the NFL rankings all through the 12 months.
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This article initially appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Pat Surtain is SI’s cover athlete for NFL preview