Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Defends Teammate Riley Moss Amid Race Discussion
Denver Broncos cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain II, spoke up in support of fellow starting cornerback Riley Moss. Despite Moss's strong performance, conversations around him often return to race, as Moss is the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in 22 years, beginning with the 2024 season opener.
Moss has quickly emerged as one of the NFL’s most promising young cornerbacks, frequently targeted by opposing quarterbacks. This attention is partly because his teammate, Surtain, is so dominant that teams rarely throw in his direction. At one point in 2024, the chances of completing a pass against Surtain were so low, it was statistically wiser to throw the ball away than to try.
Surtain, who will miss the next three weeks due to a pec strain, noted Moss’s challenges with defensive pass interference penalties, suggesting race might play a part. On the podcast Closed on Sundays With Pat and Terrion, Surtain said:
“I ain’t gonna lie, I think they racial profiling my dog. They calling all these flags on my boy … I ain’t gonna lie, these flags is egregious. He had a rep against CeeDee Lamb where he played the ball, where he was in perfect position, and he still got a flag.”
Key Points
- Riley Moss is the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in 22 years.
- Moss faces frequent passes due to Surtain’s exceptional coverage ability.
- Surtain suspects racial profiling may influence some of the penalties called against Moss.
- Surtain will miss three weeks with a pec injury.
Patrick Surtain II firmly supports Riley Moss, highlighting both his skill and the racial challenges Moss faces on the field.
Author's summary: Patrick Surtain II defends teammate Riley Moss against perceived racial bias in penalty calls while recognizing Moss's important role as a pioneering white cornerback in the NFL.