Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II was named the NFL’s defensive player of the year on Thursday night and his play during the 2024 season helped end a long playoff drought in Denver.
Surtain was playing at a high level over his first three seasons as well, so it wasn’t just about his effort. The arrival of head coach Sean Payton has played a major role in turning things around in Denver.
During an appearance on PFT Live Friday, Surtain said that Payton has created a winning atmosphere around the Broncos and instilled confidence in a young team by being out at practice challenging the players at every opportunity. Surtain noted that he connects with his generation by playing music, talking trash and wearing Jordans.
“Good to have a coach with some swag,” Surtain said.
Payton’s impact goes beyond that, however. Surtain credited Payton’s decision to have the team spend a week at the Greenbrier in West Virginia between two east coast games with building the necessary camaraderie.
“We really honed in on the brotherhood,” Surtain said.
The Broncos will be looking to take another step forward in 2025 and it sounds like they have the right coach to push them toward it.
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