Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain took home the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award Thursday at NFL Honors.
Patrick Surtain becomes the first corner to be named the league’s top defensive player since former New England Patriots star Stephon Gilmore won the award in 2019.
Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, Pittsburgh Steelers TJ Watt, Cincinnati Bengals Trey Hendrickson , and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun were also finalists for DPOY this year.
The Broncos star corner earned 330 points from votes (26 first place votes), according to the Associated Press. Hendrickson finished second with 205 points, followed by Garrett (162), Watt (114), and Baun (63).
Surtain was a huge part of the strong Broncos defense that helped the team make the playoffs with rookie Bo Nix at quarterback. Surtain finished the season with 45 tackles, 11 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and four interceptions, (including a 100-yard pick six). His advanced stats are even more impressive.
Watt was the DPOY favorite for most of the regular season and finished with 11.5 sacks and an NFL-high six forced fumbles. However, he had only two sacks in his final five games, both in the same contest. Around the Week 13 marks is where the odds started to shift in favor of Surtain.
Garrett – the 2023 DPOY – earned his fourth first-team All-Pro nod in five years after posting 14 sacks to go along with 22 tackles for loss, the most in the league. Hendrickson, meanwhile, led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. Finally, Baun was one of the season’s biggest surprises, as he had a huge 2024 with 151 tackles (11 for loss), five quarterback hits, five forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and one interception while playing on a one-year deal in Philly.
Surtain is a three-time Pro Bowler who’s earned a pair of first-team All-Pro berths since the Broncos drafted him at No. 9 in 2021.
In order for a cornerback to take home the award, they need to make enough big plays to attract voters, but that’s hard to do when most teams avoid throwing their way. This makes what Surtain did even more special.
Surtain somehow did both in 2024, coming up only one vote shy of being an unanimous selection for first-team All-Pro honors.
Jaden Chandler-Parnell, or “JC” is a Sports & Sports Betting Analyst for Stare Down Sports. You can Follow him on X @Jaden95Chandler
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