Pat Surtain II Sends Strong Warning to Anyone Writing Off Broncos

Pat Surtain II has a message for all the Broncos' doubters across the Fruited Plain.

Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) in action against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Game day is finally here.

The Denver Broncos are on the road to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. The excitement and anticipation around the Mile High City are palpable, especially after sitting through Sunday's slate of NFL games.

The Broncos get to take the first step toward exorcising the demons from last season and finally bury all the emotions around how the promising campaign ended. Bo Nix is back, and he and his teammates are looking to make up for lost time.

In a game-day column in The Players' Tribune, we learned from Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain II that the Broncos have heard the doubters and the naysayers. We've been chronicling it throughout the offseason and NFL summer, and he has a message for those same skeptics.

"Everyone on the outside … keep on doubting us all you want. But let me just tell you straight up: You’re making a big mistake if you’re trying to write off Denver," Surtain wrote.

Slow to Come Around

Pat Surtain II (2) reacts to his tackle during the fourth quarter against the Chargers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The national media has been slow to come around to the Broncos. Despite going 14-3 last season, dethroning the Chiefs in the AFC West, earning the No. 1 playoff seed, and sending Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills home in the divisional round, not everyone is buying the 2026 Broncos as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

The skepticism is wild, especially given the number of signature wins Denver had last season. The Broncos weren't gifted the cupcake schedule that Drake Maye and the New England Patriots were; Denver had to play both Super Bowl teams, sweeping the Chiefs and upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles on the road.

Keep on doubting Denver.

Pat Surtain II via The Players' Tribune.

The Broncos smoked the Houston Texans and their vaunted defense on the road, upset the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, and swept the NFC East. One of the signature wins of the 2025 season wasn't necessarily because of the opponent's quality, but the Broncos' historical comeback win over the New York Giants in Week 7 will stand in the NFL books for a long time.

Those who doubt the Broncos like to point to their 11-2 record in one-score games as some kind of evidence of a fatal flaw. The Chiefs also won 11 one-score games the year prior, but I don't recall any skepticism about their 2026 outlook, even though they closed out the season with an embarrassing loss in the Super Bowl.

Ready for Take-Off

Bo Nix looks on from the sideline. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The truth is, the Broncos have won 24 games over the past two seasons. They've made the playoffs in each of Nix's two years as a pro; they're returning all five offensive line starters and the entire defense, minus one starter; and, most importantly, their quarterback is healthy and ready to rock and roll.

"Bo’s about to truly take off this season, and we’re all ready to follow his lead," Surtain wrote.

The Broncos added Jaylen Waddle to Nix's arsenal and bolstered the running back room by re-signing J.K. Dobbins and drafting Jonah Coleman.

New offensive coordinator Davis Webb sees a year-three leap coming from Nix, drawing parallels to Josh Allen's quantum jump forward in 2020 after the Bills acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs via trade. And based on what we've seen from Nix in camp and the preseason, along with his "mountain lion" energy of a chained animal, he's ready to be unleashed on the NFL.

Let Them Sleep

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) puts his arm around cornerback Patrick Surtain II (2) during mandatory minicamp. | Ben Swanson/DenverBroncos.com

Surtain can feel Nix's energy, too. And the outside noise isn't lost on the former Defensive Player of the Year.

"It’s funny, in some ways, I almost feel like this team … we’re kind of in the same situation we were in last year, where people are still thinking we somehow lucked into things, or that we weren’t as good as our record said we were. 

"And that’s perfectly fine with us," Surtain wrote.

The NFL at large is pining for Patrick Mahomes to be triumphant in his comeback this season. Everyone wants to believe that Kansas City's major step back last season was an anomoly, and maybe it was. But let's not forget that the Chiefs had played themselves out of playoff contention well before Mahomes got hurt.

The Takeaway

The Broncos can't wait to show those same people pining for the Chiefs that last year wasn't a fluke — that there's been a changing of the guard. It takes a lot of stones to drop a column such as Surtain's ahead of the Broncos' 2026 debut.

At long last, the Broncos can dispense with all the chatter on Monday night and let their actions do all the talking. While you're awaiting kickoff, be sure to read Surtain's piece; it's well worth your time.

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