Patrick Surtain II held out of practice with "slight irritation" in lower leg

Denver Broncos first round selection Patrick Surtain II made quite a splash in his first game as a rookie, returning an interception for a touchdown.

This week hasn’t gone quite as well for the former Alabama star. ProFootballTalk is reporting that he was pulled out of practice on Tuesday after performing individual drills. He didn’t practice at all on Wednesday.

“He’s just got a slight irritation in the lower leg,” Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said on the team’s website. “I think he’s ok but we’re being precautious with it.”

Other Denver Broncos players not practicing on Wednesday were: safety Kareem Jackson, running back Mike Boone (quad), safety Trey Marshall (ankle), and outside linebackers Malik Reed (ankle) and Andre Mintze (concussion protocol), according to Denver’s website.

Famous Bloodlines

Patrick Surtain II is the son of former NFL legend Patrick Surtain, Sr. Surtain played with the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League. He racked up 422 tackles and 37 interceptions in his storied 11 year career. Surtain was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Miami Dolphins. He was named First Team All-Pro in 2002 and Second Team All-Pro in 2003. Surtain coached his son in high school football at American Heritage in Plantation, Florida. He was recently named the 2020 National Coach of the Year by High School Football America, after he led the American Heritage Patriots to their third state championship in the past five years.

Patrick Surtain II college career

Patrick Surtain II was one of the most highly touted prospects in America coming out of high school and he didn’t disappoint for the Crimson Tide. As a freshman in 2018, he earned All-SEC Freshman honors after racking up 37 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one interception, and seven pass breakups. His play as a shutdown corner not only helped lead Alabama to a national title in 2021, but earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, too.

PFF’s Sam Monson raved about Surtain II in his pre-draft write-up on him when he wrote: “Patrick Surtain II—as you might expect from the son of a player who was one of the best in the league at his position back in the day—is such a clean prospect; it’s easy to see why people like him. He has been presumably learning the nuances of this position since he was a child, and that education will only have been furthered at Alabama under Nick Saban.”