Following his two-interception performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12, Denver Broncos rookie cornerback has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, the NFL announced Wednesday.
Surtain also totaled five tackles in Denver’s 28-13 win.
Surtain is the first Broncos rookie to record multiple interceptions — including a pick-six — in the same game.
This might not be the only award Surtain wins this year. Surtain has been nominated for the Rookie of the Week award and he’ll likely be a strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors at the end of the season, and perhaps even the overall Rookie of the Year award.
“He played really well yesterday,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said Monday. “Obviously, the two interceptions everybody knows about, but he’s [broken] up some passes too that were critical. They don’t quite get the same pizzazz that the picks do, but they’re just as critical. He’s been playing good football for us all year.”
It’s safe to say Denver has no regrets over using its first-round pick in April’s draft to select the Alabama cornerback.
“We’re thrilled to have him,” Fangio said. “I don’t want to speak for George [Paton], but I think I am. If we had to redo the draft right now and it was the same players available at No. 9 — it’d be the same pick.”
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