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Good thing Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II made the Pro Bowl as a starter for the AFC. If not, there would be no Pro Bowl held on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas.
At least if teammate Justin Simmons had any say in the matter.
“I would have canceled the Pro Bowl if Pat wasn’t a starter,” the Broncos’ safety said Thursday. “He deserved it. He’s playing lights-out ball and he’ll continue to play lights-out.”
Simmons, a Pro Bowl first alternate for the second consecutive season, was not the least bit surprised that Surtain, 22, in just his second season in the NFL, is already flashing star power.
“He’ll be a perennial all-pro and Pro Bowler for as long as he wants to play,” Simmons said. “He’s just a tremendous talent, and his poise and his knowledge of the game, coming in as a rookie was — I’m not going to say unlike anything I have ever seen — but it was up there.
“He was wise beyond his years and you can tell he’s been working on his craft for a long time.”
Through 14 games, even as many quarterbacks have decided not to challenge him, Surtain has 55 tackles, 10 passes defensed and two interceptions.
He’s also got plenty of self-confidence.
His father, Patrick Surtain, was selected to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Dolphins for three consecutive seasons (2002-04). The son believes he’ll eclipse his father.
“I think I have a good chance, but obviously you have to prove it, year in and year out,” Surtain said. “But I have a good chance.”
It was the players and coaches, not a vote of the fans, that made Surtain a first-team Pro Bowl selection. Surtain was cool with that.
“It says a lot when the players and coaches acknowledge you in a certain way and put you on a certain pedestal,” he said. “For them to see me as a premier player in this league and to be able to reach this accomplishment is pretty cool.”
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has witnessed Surtain grow from week to week.
“It’s definitely a great accomplishment and the great thing about him is that every day he comes in and works his butt off,” Evero said. “He’s got such a professional attitude and mindset for such a young player.”
Feel the love. Special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes is not afraid to share his feelings about Rams special teams coordinator Joe DeCamllis, who he’ll see in Los Angeles on Sunday.
“Joe D is, first and foremost, a very good friend of mine,” Stukes said. “He’s also a mentor of mine and Joe D has helped me tremendously in this league, and he’s helped my growth as a coach, and my knowledge as far as schemes, analytics, game management, etc. He’s meant the world to me.”
Stukes, 45, has known DeCamillis, 57, for more than 20 years and played under him in Atlanta in 1999-2000. Last season, Stukes assisted DeCamillis (a graduate of Arvada High School) and helped steer the Super Bowl champion Rams to the NFL’s fourth-best special teams unit, per Football Outsiders’ DVOA ratings.
“I know a lot of men have trouble saying that they love other men, but I don’t have that problem,” Stukes said. “My love for Joe D is off the charts. He’s been a person who’s been in my corner from Day 1.”
OL Compton to IR. Denver placed offensive lineman Tom Compton on injured reserve Thursday, ending his season.
Compton missed the first 10 weeks recovering from back surgery and only saw his first playing time this year on Sunday against Arizona. He played 30 snaps in place of Quinn Meinerz (eye) before going down with what the team said was another back injury.
Elsewhere, outside linebacker Randy Gregory (knee), wide receiver Kendall Hinton (hamstring), nickel K’Waun Williams (knee), left guard Dalton Risner (foot) and running back Latavius Murray (soreness) did not practice Thursday.
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton (hamstring) was set to be a limited participant for the second straight day after missing the past two games.
“(Gregory)’s dealing with soreness in his knee but we’re hoping he’s going to be able to play,” head coach Nathaniel Hackett said.
He added that part of the equation for holding out veterans like Williams, Risner and Murray is that Denver planned to work inside on artificial turf Thursday.
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