TJ Watt or Myles Garrett? The correct DPOY answer is neither despite name recognition

The Associated Press’ annual awards will be presented at the NFL Honors awards ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Saenger Theater in New Orleans, La., prior to Super Bowl LIX.

Some awards are easier to predict than others. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is nearly guaranteed to be named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, while Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is likely to earn the NFL Most Valuable Player award. Some awards, however, are significantly more contentious.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt felt slighted after Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was named the 2023 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Watt’s comments sparked a heated competition between the divisional foes as they attempted to outperform each other for the 2024 DPOY award.

Prior to the NFL Honors, a few publications name their own annual award winners, but they don’t always align with the league’s recognized winners. The Sporting News announced Garrett as their DPOY winner for the second consecutive season on Thursday, but the Associated Press’ voters will likely disagree with that assessment.

Patrick Surtain is more deserving of NFL Defensive Player of the Year award

Garrett and Watt have become the two most recognizable finalists for the defensive title, but they aren’t necessarily the most deserving. That distinction should go to Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II. 

Surtain covered each opponent’s top wide receiver and consistently shut them down. In 16 regular season games, he allowed just 35 receptions for 306 receiving yards, the fewest among cornerbacks with at least 375 coverage snaps, per NFL Next Gen Stats. He also allowed the lowest passer rating (59.1) and the second-fewest yards after the catch (66).

Surtain deflected 11 passes and snatched four interceptions for 132 return yards. That included an interception returned for a 100-yard touchdown in Week 5, the second-longest in franchise history. He tallied 45 tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Watt, who won the award in 2021, was favored to win the award throughout the season, but he suddenly disappeared during the final stretch of the season. After recording 11.5 sacks through the first 14 games, he failed to register a single sack over the final three regular season games. He had just seven tackles, one pass defended, and one tackle for loss in the three-game span. He also didn’t show up in the box score in any statistical category in the wild-card round despite playing 85 percent of the defensive snaps.

Garrett finished with 14 sacks for the second straight season and had a career-high 22 tackles for loss, but he fell short of matching his previous marks in tackles, forced fumbles and quarterback hits.

Surtain is following in the footsteps of his father, who played in the NFL for 11 seasons, and he’s emerged as the league’s top cornerback in just his fourth season. Now, he could accomplish something his father never did. If Surtain wins the award, he would be the first defensive back since 2019 to be named the AP Defensive Player of the Year.