Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Defends Teammate Riley Moss Alleging Racial Profiling by Refs
Denver Broncos cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II defended his fellow starter Riley Moss amid discussions about race. Moss, a white cornerback, became the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in 22 years when he started the 2024 season opener for the Broncos.
Since then, Moss has emerged as one of the NFL’s top young cornerbacks. He faces a high volume of passes, not due to poor play, but because Surtain, the other starting cornerback, is so effective that teams rarely challenge him.
In 2024, opposing quarterbacks had better odds statistically to throw the ball away than to complete a pass against Surtain. Despite his strong performance, Surtain is often called for defensive pass interference penalties, which he humorously suggests may be influenced by Moss’s race.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I think they racial profiling my dog,” Surtain said on the Closed on Sundays With Pat and Terrion podcast with Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold. “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.”
Summary
Patrick Surtain II publicly supports teammate Riley Moss, suggesting Moss faces racial bias from referees, highlighting broader challenges linked to Moss's unique NFL status.
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