Former Dolphins defender added to 2021 Senior Bowl Hall of Fame

Former Dolphins defender added to 2021 Senior Bowl Hall of Fame

The month of April is turning into quite the eventful stretch for anyone named Patrick Surtain. At the end of the month, Patrick Surtain II is expected to be one of the first defensive prospects drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft — potentially as early as the No. 8 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, his father, Patrick Surtain, will observe that life achievement as a proud dad. But while his son’s NFL legacy is only just beginning, the elder Surtain’s impression on the game just got an added boost this morning.

A former great of the Miami Dolphins, cornerback Patrick Surtain has been named as an inductee to the 2021 Hall of Fame class for the Senior Bowl; recognizing his NFL career, which used the Senior Bowl as a springboard to get drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the 44th overall selection of the 1998 NFL Draft. Surtain will join the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame alongside WR Reggie Wayne, DL Cam Jordan, OT Joe Staley and RB Fred Taylor in this year’s class.

Surtain, who played 11 seasons in the NFL, logged his first seven years with the Dolphins, logging 3 consecutive Pro Bowl honors and one 1st-team All-Pro designation during his prime from 2002-2004 with the Dolphins. With 29 interceptions as a member of the Dolphins, Surtain left an undeniable mark on the defensive history of the organization. You could argue that those early 2000s Dolphins teams had a championship caliber defense — the unit was anchored by Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Sam Madison, Surtain, Brock Marion and others. The collective group peaked in 2003 with just 261 points allowed over 16 games (16.3 ppg), good for the third best mark in the NFL.

But that team somehow managed to miss the postseason with a 10-6 record; a reality that hits far too close to home amid the Dolphins’ latest shortcoming of postseason success in 2020.

But never the less, Surtain’s career achievements are undeniable. And now, just three weeks of his son getting drafted in the 1st-round, Surtain can celebrate another accolade of his own path.