Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Says Embattled Teammate 'Racially Profiled' by Refs

Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Defends Teammate Riley Moss Against Racial Profiling Claims

Denver Broncos cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II defended fellow starting cornerback Riley Moss amid discussions about race. Regardless of Moss’s performance, the conversation often returns to race because Moss is white. When Moss started the 2024 season opener, he became the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in 22 years.

Moss has since established himself as one of the NFL’s most promising young cornerbacks, frequently targeted by opposing quarterbacks. This is not due to his skill level, but rather because Surtain is the other starting cornerback, and teams avoid throwing in Surtain’s direction. At one point in 2024, the chance of completing a pass against Surtain was so low it was statistically better to throw the ball away.

Despite his dominance, Surtain often faces defensive pass interference calls. He joked that some of these penalties on Moss might be influenced by race. Surtain said on the Closed on Sundays With Pat and Terrion podcast, alongside Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold:

“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.”

Surtain is currently sidelined with a pec strain, expected to miss the next three weeks.

Author's summary: Patrick Surtain II defends teammate Riley Moss against claims of racial bias by officials, highlighting inconsistent penalties despite Moss's strong defensive play.

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Heavy Sports Heavy Sports — 2025-11-01

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