Last season, the Denver Broncos ranked third in points allowed per game (18.3), trailing only the Los Angeles Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Their talented defense, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, made it happen.
As the league’s best defensive player, Surtain received admiration from past and present NFL players. One player who appreciates his game is two-time All-Pro cornerback Aqib Talib, who had nothing but kind words for the former Alabama standout during his May 22 interview with DNVR Sports’ Bennie Fowler.
Talib said about Surtain’s game, “I just love his technique, man. If he is playing Cover 2, it looks like clockwork. If he is playing Cover 4, if he is playing man press, you can tell that he grew up getting technique hammered into him. … You could tell immediately, you could see he grew up with somebody, his dad, who was hammering in that technique, and he is just so polished. He looks like a ten-year vet from day one.”
Surtain finished the 2024 NFL season with an 85.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking him second among 222 cornerbacks. He has the third-highest coverage grade (87.4) and is 15th in run defense (80.5).
Furthermore, the Broncos’ primary cornerback didn’t miss a tackle all season while allowing a 61.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. Likewise, Surtain had a career-high 90.5 tackling grade in 1,054 total snaps.
Talib Sees Influence of Surtain Sr. in His Son’s Game
While Surtain has had numerous coaches throughout his football journey, Talib believes that the foundations instilled by his father, Pat Surtain Sr., expedited his success.
The five-time Pro Bowler commended the older Surtain, saying, “His dad did a great job installing whatever he installed in him because he’s polished.”
Patrick Surtain played 11 seasons in the NFL, seven with the Miami Dolphins and four with the Kansas City Chiefs. His career peaked during his time with the Dolphins, earning three Pro Bowl and two First-Team All-Pro selections.
Two-time Super Bowl champion and All-Pro Rodney Harrison elaborated on Talib’s observations during the May 14 episode of NBC Sports’ Football Night in America Podcast. The former San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots safety shared with Jac Collinsworth and Tony Dungy what Pat Surtain II inherited from his father.
Harrison said, “The aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage and the technique. Pat Surtain Sr. was a technician. Didn’t have a lot of wasted steps. He wasn’t the fastest guy, but he was a technician. He was tough, very smart, just like his son.”
Talib Identifies Toughest Matchup for Broncos’ Primary CB
While there are countless elite wide receivers in the National Football League, the one-time Super Bowl champion with the Broncos believes that Pat Surtain II will have his hands full covering one player.
Talib shared with Fowler, “Top dog in the league, number one hardest cover in the league right now is Ja’Marr Chase. The size, the speed, the break tackle, the ball skills, it’s all there. The route running, it’s all there. So, right out of the game, I think he gets his toughest matchup.”
The cornerback who played for five NFL teams in 12 seasons has a point, considering Chase led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17) last season. However, despite Chase’s elite talent, Talib gives Surtain a chance against the Cincinnati Bengals’ wideout. Talib said, “But Pat is Pat, and I think it’ll be a great matchup. It’s Monday night. It’ll be the only game on TV. So, they both better bring it, man.”
