After Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II failed to earn All-Pro honors this year after being selected to the Pro Bowl, there’s been a debate online and on the airwaves on the caliber of season he had. While there’s no questioning Surtain’s 2022 body of work (All-Pro/Pro Bowl), he did seem to be on the losing end of too many big plays this past season.

Surtain’s game in Miami, where the entire Broncos defense seemed to mail it in, and specifically against New England’s DeVante Parker on Christmas Eve, were particular low-lights, but the third-year corner still had a solid campaign. While the Surtain debate rages on, it was exacerbated on X (formerly Twitter) when Denver Sports’ editor James Merilatt managed to trigger two Broncos Pro Bowlers.

“The PS2 outrage is funny. Dude made zero plays this year. Don’t give me the ‘they don’t throw his direction’ nonsense. The Patriots did, on the biggest play of the season, and he got beat. He wasn’t an All-Pro this year. Not even close,” Merilatt tweeted on Friday.

Surtain wasn’t having it.

“You been hating ever since I got in the league … for some reason. LOL. Go watch the tape and I can speak for myself not these clowns on this app including you !! Look at all my 3 years and measure that up! You talking like you know something,” Surtain quote-tweeted Merilatt in response.

https://twitter.com/PatSurtainll/status/1745979414100210046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1745979414100210046%7Ctwgr%5E3d215041296e913c2af7f7b84da8aed74a4756b8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnfl%2Fbroncos%2Fnews%2Fpat-surtain-justin-simmons-twitter-brawl-criticism

The scrap didn’t end there, as Merilatt punched back. Then Surtain’s All-Pro teammate Justin Simmons got involved.

“There are people on this app that think PS2 isn’t a top 4 corner. I’m not naming them or quote tweeting because they want the attention. Just know you’re a clown and always will be and at some point you will be addressed, now just isn’t the time. Pat is ELITE,” Simmons tweeted.

It kind of got ugly from there after one last Merilatt jab at Surtain further triggered the usually composed All-Pro safety.

“After vacation don’t forget to punch in your clock on Monday. Crazy how you’re attacking generational talent when you have no background to stand on for it. I never respond to anyone because it’s not worth. But you attack Pat shows your character. This is my last reply. Enjoy,” Simmons tweeted to Merilatt.

Thanks to Devante Parker, I’m on vacation this weekend. I’m gonna go enjoy it. You guys should too. https://t.co/EoZjjOrfUk

— James Merilatt (@jamesmerilatt) January 13, 2024

Merilatt is an experienced social media pugilist and is among the growing constituency within Broncos Country and Denver media that believes the team should have drafted Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons at No. 9 overall in 2021 instead of Surtain. Parsons has proven to be a rare player, earning All-Pro honors in all three of his NFL seasons so far, including a second-team nod for 2023.

Surtain has proven to be a rare player, too, although his production hasn’t reached the level of Parsons, perhaps. But they play different positions.

A big plus for Parsons has been the stability he’s enjoyed schematically and on a coaching level. Dan Quinn has served as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator since Parsons arrived in 2021, although he’s interviewed for every head-coaching job under the sun over the past two years.

Meanwhile, Surtain has had a different defensive coordinator in each of his three seasons, although Ejiro Evero kept Vic Fangio’s scheme in 2022. Still, that lack of coaching consistency does come out in the wash and can be measured in the production of elite players.

Both Surtain and Parsons are elite at their respective positions. It also helps that Parsons has had more success at the team level than Surtain. The Broncos have posted a losing season in each of Surtain’s three years, while Parsons has never missed the playoffs in Dallas.

It’s an apples-and-oranges comparison, honestly. There will always be people who question whether the Broncos made the right decision in the 2021 draft, just like there are those who will always lament the team drafting Bradley Chubb at No. 5 overall back in 2018 instead of Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.

We can’t turn back time, and there’s never any use in crying over spilled milk. In Surtain’s case, the Broncos drafted a cornerstone shutdown corner who’s just entering his prime.

It’s unfortunate that Surtain wasn’t able to garner dual Pro Bowl/All-Pro honors in back-to-back years, but he did have some poor games this season, and his lack of ball production (one interception) continues to be a thing, although that’s partly explained by the lack of targets that opponents throw his way due to his already established NFL reputation.

https://twitter.com/PatSurtainll/status/1745979414100210046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1745990481023008867%7Ctwgr%5E3d215041296e913c2af7f7b84da8aed74a4756b8%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnfl%2Fbroncos%2Fnews%2Fpat-surtain-justin-simmons-twitter-brawl-criticism

In three seasons, Surtain has two Pro Bowl nods and a first-team All-Pro selection. That’s a phenomenal start that has already put him in rarified air when it comes to the Broncos’ all-time annals.

It’s generally bad practice to look a gift horse in the mouth. The vast majority of Broncos Country is grateful that Surtain belongs to them and is under team control for another two years.