Denver Broncos star defensive back Pat Surtain has established himself as one of the best defensive players in the NFL. In his rookie season, Surtain was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team. Last year, he was named to the Pro Bowl and a First-team AP All-Pro.
Although Surtain is still in the beginning stages of his career, Broncos legend Champ Bailey believes the sky is the limit for the third-year corner. During last week’s Broncos Alumni Weekend, Bailey elaborated on how he sees the Hall of Fame as a potential future destination for Surtain.
“He’s doing what I expected, to be honest,” Bailey said of Surtain. “When he [entered the draft] — I said this — the sky’s the limit for him. He can have a Hall-of-Fame career, and he’s on his way.
“I’m not going to shy away from putting those lofty goals in front of him. I’m sure he’s just thinking about the next game. When you see it, you see it. God-willing he stays healthy and continues to play and get better. You can’t complain. He’s going to be one of the all-time greats.”
Bailey has also been impressed by star safety Justin Simmons.
“The kid, man,” Bailey said when asked about Simmons. “I keep thinking he’s peaking, and he just keeps getting better. You can just tell, every year he gets more and more comfortable with what he has to do. He’s a great leader; [he] leads by example. When you talk about a Bronco great, he’s going to be one of those that you talk about — one of the greats.”
Surtain has totaled 27 pass breakups and six interceptions through his first 35 games in the NFL. Simmons has recorded 27 interceptions in 105 games, which ranks eighth in franchise history. They are elite defensive backs, and Bailey’s a fan.
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