Pat Surtain II Shares Witty Take on Riley Moss' Penalty Epidemic

Pat Surtain II Shares Witty Take on Riley Moss' Penalty Epidemic

Denver Broncos starting cornerback Riley Moss has drawn considerable attention for the number of penalties called against him. However, teammate Patrick Surtain II stands firmly by Moss, highlighting his skills and contributions.

Moss and Surtain both study the game deeply and enjoy analyzing the opponents they face each week. Moss, despite being targeted frequently as a cornerback opposite Surtain, impressively deflects over half of the passes thrown in his coverage.

While Moss has incurred an unusually high number of penalties, Surtain defended him with a humorous explanation on the Closed On Sundays podcast with co-host Terrion Arnold:

"I think they're racial profiling my dog, though, man. They're calling all these flags on my boy, man. I ain't going to lie; the flags is egregious."

Surtain's comment was made in jest, poking fun at the rarity of white cornerbacks in today's NFL. Alongside Moss, Cooper DeJean, another former Iowa player, also fits into this uncommon category.

The topic of the "white corner" gained attention when the Broncos drafted Moss. Head coach Sean Payton was questioned multiple times in spring and summer 2023 about comparisons between Moss and former New York Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn, who was seen as a unique figure at his position.

Key Points

Author's summary: Patrick Surtain II humorously defends Riley Moss's high penalty count while praising his coverage skills and highlighting the rarity of white cornerbacks in the NFL.

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Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated — 2025-11-01