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

Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Defends Teammate Riley Moss

Denver Broncos cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II spoke out in defense of fellow starting cornerback Riley Moss. Regardless of Moss's performance, discussions around him often involve race.

Breaking Barriers as a White Starting Cornerback

Riley Moss began the 2024 season opener as the Broncos' starting cornerback, becoming the NFL's first white starting cornerback in 22 years. Since then, he has emerged as one of the league’s promising young cornerbacks.

Challenging Conditions on the Field

Moss has faced many passes thrown his way—not due to poor play, but because Surtain, the other starting cornerback, is so dominant that teams avoid throwing in his direction. Statistically, at one point in 2024, completing a pass against Surtain was less likely than simply throwing the ball away.

Controversial Penalties and Racial Profiling Concerns

Surtain also faces many defensive pass interference penalties, and he humorously suggested that the referees may be "racially profiling" Moss, who is white, due to the number of flags called against him.

“I ain’t gonna lie, I think they racial profiling my dog,” Surtain said on the podcast Closed on Sundays With Pat and Terrion, referring to Riley Moss. “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.”

Injury Update

Patrick Surtain II will miss the next 3 weeks due to a pec strain.

Author's summary: Patrick Surtain II defends rookie Riley Moss, highlighting racial discussions and controversial penalties alongside Moss’s breakthrough as the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in over two decades.

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Heavy Sports Heavy Sports — 2025-11-01

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