Broncos CB Patrick Surtain Defends Teammate Riley Moss Over Alleged Racial Profiling by Refs
Denver Broncos cornerback and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain II, spoke out in support of fellow starting cornerback Riley Moss. Despite Moss's strong performance, discussions about him often revert to race. This is partly because Moss is white and, when he started the 2024 season opener for the Broncos, he became the first white starting cornerback in the NFL in 22 years.
Moss has proven himself as one of the NFL's most promising young cornerbacks, facing numerous passes—not due to poor play, but because teams usually avoid throwing near Surtain. At one point in 2024, statistical odds showed it was better to throw the ball away than complete a pass against Surtain.
Surtain also experiences many defensive pass interference penalties. He joked this might be related to Moss's race during an interview on the Closed on Sundays With Pat and Terrion podcast with Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I think they racial profiling my dog,” Surtain said. “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.”
Surtain is expected to miss the next three weeks with a pec strain, but his defense of Moss highlights ongoing conversations about race and officiating in the NFL.
Key Points
- Riley Moss is the NFL’s first white starting cornerback in 22 years.
- Moss faces many passes because teams avoid throwing near Surtain.
- Statistically, passes against Surtain have very low completion rates.
- Surtain joked that Moss is being racially profiled due to excessive flags.
- Moss received a controversial flag against CeeDee Lamb despite good coverage.
Summary: Patrick Surtain II defends teammate Riley Moss, suggesting that racial bias may affect how officials call penalties on Moss, sparking a deeper conversation on race in NFL officiating.