Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Defends Teammate Riley Moss Over Referee Calls
Denver Broncos cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II spoke out in defense of his fellow starting cornerback, Riley Moss. Despite Moss’s performance, the conversation often circles back to race. This is because Moss, a white player, became the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in 22 years when he started the 2024 season opener for the Broncos.
Since then, Moss has emerged as one of the league’s promising young cornerbacks, frequently targeted by opposing quarterbacks—not due to poor play but because Surtain is considered nearly impenetrable. In fact, in 2024, the odds of completing a pass against Surtain were so low that teams often preferred to throw the ball away rather than attempt a pass toward him.
Moss has also been called for numerous defensive pass interference penalties. Surtain, who is sidelined for the next three weeks with a pec strain, humorously suggested the calls might be influenced by racial bias.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I think they racial profiling my dog,” Surtain said on the Closed on Sundays With Pat and Terrion podcast with Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold. “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 first white starting NFL cornerback in 22 years as of 2024.
- Moss has become a top rising cornerback despite heavy passing attacks against him.
- Surtain is one of the toughest cornerbacks to pass against this season.
- Numerous pass interference flags against Moss have prompted concerns about racial profiling.
- Surtain is currently injured and will miss three weeks due to a pec strain.
Author’s summary: Patrick Surtain II defends Riley Moss against possibly racially influenced penalty calls, highlighting Moss’s breakthrough as the first white starting cornerback in decades and his strong performance despite heavy targeting.