Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II was named the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year at Thursday night’s NFL Honors ceremony. However, at least one individual involved in the show seemed to anticipate that Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett would take home the award for a second consecutive year.
After Surtain’s win was announced, he took the stage for his acceptance speech, but the graphic displayed before him incorrectly indicated Garrett as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Patrick Surtain II is the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Call it a hunch, but we think the graphics team was expecting someone else. pic.twitter.com/1aGAuaxwB4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 7, 2025
In fairness, Garrett was a deserving nominee, having recorded 14 sacks—matching his total from his 2023 Defensive Player of the Year-winning season—and tallied 22 tackles for a loss, surpassing his previous year’s performance by five.
Nonetheless, Surtain was equally deserving, with four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and 11 passes defended. Like many elite cornerbacks, his statistics tell only part of the tale, as opposing quarterbacks often avoided targeting Surtain altogether.
Perhaps Surtain will finally receive the correct graphic when the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is presented at next season’s NFL Honors show.
