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.

Presented annually since 1969, the 101 Awards recognize the AFC and NFC offensive and defensive players and coaches of the year. The Committee of 101 includes two voters for each of the NFL’s 32 teams and 37 national-media members. The Committee of 101 also presents the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football.

Surtain already has been picked for the AFC Pro Bowl team and named All-Pro by The Associated Press and NFL Players Association and All-NFL and All-AFC by the Pro Football Writers of America for the 2024 season.

The NFL’s Next Gen Stats indicate Surtain allowed the fewest yards and fewest yards per coverage snap and had the lowest target rate of any cornerback with at least 400 coverage snaps during 2024.

Other former Alabama players who have won 101 Awards include:

• Dallas Cowboys linebacker Lee Roy Jordan, 1973 NFC Defensive Player of the Year
• Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, 1974 AFC Offensive Player of the Year
• Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, 2005 NFC Offensive Player of the Year
• New York Giants safety Landon Collins, 2016 NFC Defensive Player of the Year
• Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, 2020 AFC Offensive Player of the Year
• Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, 2022 NFC Offensive Player of the Year
• Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, 2023 AFC Coach of the Year

Former Alabama quarterback Bart Starr received the Lamar Hunt Award in 2020.

The other 101 Awards winners for the 2024 NFL season included:

• Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, NFC Offensive Player of the Year
• Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, AFC Offensive Player of the Year
• Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph, NFC Defensive Player of the Year
• Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, AFC Coach of the Year
• Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, NFC Coach of the Year  

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.