ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Pat Surtain II focused on faith, family and just being a football fan during his monthlong hiatus from the Denver Broncos' lineup because of a strained left pectoral muscle.
The NFL's reigning Defensive Player of the Year is set to return to action this weekend when the Broncos (9-2) put their eight-game winning streak on the line at the Washington Commanders (3-8), who are are also coming off a bye week.
“It feels great, honestly,” Surtain said of returning to practice this week. “It's been a long couple of weeks not being out there. But I'm grateful and blessed to be back — to be back healthy.”
Surtain got hurt making a tackle in Denver’s 44-24 rout of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8. Although Surtain is the fulcrum of coordinator Vance Joseph's defense, the Broncos went 3-0 in his absence, limiting the Texans, Raiders and Chiefs to an average of 13.6 points.
“Them dudes are playing lights out,” Surtain said. “And it made me a fan to watch on the sideline. Just being out there seeing from my lenses, you could see those guys were playing with a full head of confidence. And you could tell everybody was together.
“When you look at stuff like that, it makes it even more excited to get back out there with the guys.”
Denver's emergence as a Super Bowl contender helped Surtain ignore any thoughts of having to rush his return, he said.
“I took my time with it,” Surtain said, “but also I was anxious to get back.”
Surtain said that when he first got hurt, he wasn't sure if his season was over.
“At first I didn't really know the severity of it,” he said. “Obviously in the heat of the moment you don't know if it's a tear or a strain, but I got the best news I could get from it. It was just a partial tear. ... I attacked rehab the right way, got it back stronger, got it back healthier.”
A full tear would have sidelined Surtain until 2026.
Surtain praised the play of backup cornerbacks Kris Abrams-Draine and rookie first-round pick Jahdae Barron while he was sidelined.
“Oh, they stood out for me,” Surtain said.
Surtain had never missed so much time in his five years in the NFL or in his three seasons at Alabama.
“So, it was a little different for me,” he said, ”because I was able to do things that I don't normally do, you know, spend some quality time with the family, talk with the family. I was more at home than usual. So, it comes with the good and bad, but through this time sitting out I was able to gain a lot."
And the Broncos just kept on winning.
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