Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II is The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the 2024 season.

Surtain is the first former Alabama player to win the award, which has been presented annually since 1971.

The award was presented during the “NFL Honors” program on Thursday night in New Orleans.

Surtain received 26 of the 50 first-place votes. The selectors voted for five players, with 10 points awarded for a first-place vote, five for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth.

Surtain finished with 330 points as he also collected 11 second-place votes, two third-place votes, fourth fourth-place votes and one fifth-place vote. Six voters did not include Surtain on their ballot.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson finished second with 11 first-place votes and 205 points.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett finished third with five first-place votes and 162 points.

Other players getting first-place votes were Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt with three, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun with two and Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and defensive end Jonathan Greenard with one apiece.

Two other former Alabama alumni received votes for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney had two second-place votes, one third-place vote, one fourth-place vote and two fifth-place votes for 17 points. Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. received on third-place vote for three points.

The Pro Football Writers of America picked Surtain as the winner of its NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2025 season on Jan. 22.

As the Broncos reached the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season, Surtain intercepted four passes (returning one 100 yards for a touchdown), broke up 11 passes and made 45 tackles (without being charged with any missed tackles) in 16 regular-season games.

Quarterbacks completed 38-of-62 passes for 326 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions while targeting receivers covered by Surtain in 2024. Quarterbacks had a 58.9 passing-efficiency rating throwing against Surtain, the second-lowest among the NFL’s regular cornerbacks.

Surtain is the first defensive back to earn the honor since New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore in 2019. Surtain is the seventh cornerback to win the award.

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