Eleven things about the Broncos with one week left before the Super Bowl.
1. Denver second-year cornerback Pat Surtain II started his February off in style this past week. He likely couldn’t have imagined a few years ago that he’d make the Pro Bowl Games and, as a reward, be zip-lining through Las Vegas trying to catch footballs from Matt Leinart. But that’s the way of the new Pro Bowl Games, for which Surtain was named an AFC starter.
2. Surtain, of course, established himself as perhaps the best cornerback in the game over the course of his second season. In addition to the Pro Bowl Games nod, he was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press, the NFL Players Association and the Pro Football Writers Association.
3. After Vegas, though, Surtain’s got another big milestone coming up. He’s launching the Patrick Surtain II Foundation with a kickoff event in Denver at Punch Bowl Social on Feb. 13. The bowling competition is set up to allow fans to enter the tournament and bowl, with a winning team getting to square off against Surtain’s team, which he told The Post will include Justin Simmons and others.
4. Surtain said he thought it was important to get his foundation, which will focus on working with underprivileged kids, off the ground despite the fact he’s just 22 years old and coming off his second professional season.
5. “It means a lot to use my platform for the better and to shine a light on those in the community, the underprivileged,” he said. “That’s something that I’ve always wanted to do with my foundation is make it known that it’s for the people and for the betterment of the world. That’s the main reason for the event, to shine a light on the people that need the support, need the help with essential needs. That’s what I’m looking forward to, giving back to these people and building relationships with people.”
6. Surtain said he’s taken lessons from veteran teammates with the Broncos who do substantial work in the community – a group, he said, that includes Simmons, quarterback Russell Wilson and safety Kareem Jackson – and also learned from his dad, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive back himself.
7. “I learned a lot from my dad, obviously football-wise but also off the field and how he approaches life in general,” Surtain said. “He’s humble, takes the right approach in every situation, leader. In his playing career, he gave back with his foundation as well. That just goes to show how much of an influence he’s had on me. He’s taught me a lot of life lessons that I’ve always carried with me forever. He’s a big part, big influence on certain things that I do and it means a lot to have a dad that’s been through the same experiences I’m going through and can share that insight with me. It’s a blessing.”
8. Surtain laughed when asked to evaluate his bowling skills and said, “I’m all right, I’m not the best at it.” But he also said he’s looking forward to the event and, “That’s what I was put in this situation for, at this level, not just for football but to use my platform to shine a light on others less fortunate than us and help to give back….That’s the main reason why I wanted to build this foundation, especially at an early stage in my career.”
9. A couple of draft notes to wrap this up. Surtain, of course, is the Broncos’ most recent first-round draft pick. After trading for head coach Sean Payton, Denver likely won’t have another until 2024. The team has Surtain, 2020 first-rounder Jerry Jeudy and 2017 first-rounder Garett Bolles still on the roster, but has traded its top 2019 and 2018 selections – Noah Fant and Bradley Chubb, respectively – over the past year. The only other former first-rounder on Denver’s roster in 2022 was Jackson, the No. 20 overall pick by Houston in 2010.
10. Barring a major trade, the Broncos will be watching the first night of the draft from the sideline for a second straight season. Last year, general manager George Paton’s first pick came at No. 64 and the team took outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. This year, Denver’s got back-to-back selections at Nos. 68 (from Indianapolis) and 69.
11. The Broncos currently have six draft picks – three fewer than last year – and slightly less draft capital overall depending on the valuation system. They’re in a similar overall spot with the two picks in the 60s compared to last year when their first picks were No. 64 and No. 80. Overall, one service has Denver pegged as having the second-least draft capital overall in April.
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