The defensive player of the year often is a guy who gets a lot of sacks or a lot of interceptions. Broncos Patrick Surtain II did neither. He was still the finest defensive player in the NFL for the 2024 season. And so Surtain is the PFT 2024 NFL defensive player of the year.

The reaction was overwhelming on social media almost immediately, though one of the most prominent voices to comment belonged to Denver Broncos star cornerback Patrick Surtain II. "C'mon man, what we supposed to do when he sliding?" Surtain posted .

The Denver Broncos have three finalists for the NFL awards handed out by the Associated Press, including quarterback Bo Nix for Rookie of the Year, coach Sean Payton for Coach of the Year, and cornerback Pat Surtain for Defensive Player of the Year.

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II is the 101 Awards' 2024 AFC Defensive Player of the Year, The Committee of 101 announced Wednesday. Surtain is the third Alabama alumnus to win the award, following Buffalo Bills linebacker Cornelius Bennett in 1988 and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas in 1991.

After winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award a year ago, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is once again a finalist.

The Browns have made it official ... The defensive player of the year often is a guy who gets a lot of sacks or a lot of interceptions. Broncos Patrick Surtain II did neither. He was still the finest defensive player in the NFL for the 2024 season.

In 2022, when four former Alabama players made first-team All-Pro, Surtain joined Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams as the Crimson Tide’s representatives.

Former Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey talks to Fox News Digital about current Denver defensive back Patrick Surtain II and his rise to stardom.

The winners for six player awards, including NFL MVP, will be announced at the NFL Honors, which will air on Feb.

Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award. Barkley, Burrow and Jackson also are finalists for Offensive Player of the Year and Burrow is also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year.

In the AFC, the Chiefs are back on the doorstep of the Super Bowl for the seventh straight season and taking on the Bills in what’s become one of the preeminent rivalries in the NFL this decade. In the NFC,

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson beat out Browns defensive end Myles Garrett to claim the sack title for this season with 17.5. Hendrickson now has a chance to beat out Garrett and three others to earn his first Defensive Player of the Year award.