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Pat Surtain II Reveals Why He’s Picky About Who He Swaps Jerseys With This Season

Samnur Reza
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Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II (86) trade jerseys after the game at SoFi Stadium.

Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II (86) trade jerseys after the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images

A jersey swap after an NFL game, or any sport really, has been a common sight for almost a century (the tradition started in 1931). Some swaps or rejections have even sparked controversy, like when K.C. Chiefs’ Chris Jones celebrated his team’s first win of the season by making a fiery comment about turning down a jersey swap with Giants QB Russell Wilson.

“I don’t even want it,” Jones told a reporter afterwards. Unsurprisingly, the comment made headlines and stirred chatter online.

And along the same lines, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II has his own take on jersey swaps, especially now that his comes with a special perk this season.

The Denver Broncos cornerback says his jersey this season comes with a gold-lined NFL shield, a nod to his DPOY win last year. It’s quite easy to see why he’d feel proud of that perk. That pride is also why, he says, he’s being picky about swapping jerseys with anyone this season.

“The jersey etiquette now a little different, though. Cause recently, the NFL dropped the little gold patches on it if you win the major awards. Mine’s got the little gold patch. I’m quite picky who I’m gonna give jerseys to… I’m trying to keep as much as I can. You feel me?” Surtain said on the Closed on Sundays podcast.

Co-host Terrion Arnold echoed the same sentiment. He says that if an opposing player “got killed” in the game, he’s not swapping jerseys with him. The other player has to earn the swap.

Surtain II has been balling so far. In three games, he already has 13 combined tackles, 11 of them solo. No interceptions yet, but the season is still young.

After his second All-Pro season last year and third straight Pro Bowl appearance, Surtain has started this year in the same stride. So his pickiness about jersey swaps is more than justified. We’re not sure about Terrion Arnold, though.

About the author

Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza

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Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. He still vividly remembers his first-ever fixture: a 2011 matchup between the Patriots and Raiders, where Brady led his team to a 31-19 victory. Even so, Samnur believes Brady’s best performance came against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, a game he still revisits from time to time. Samnur diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and even the NCAA. Thus, he considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1000 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over a year ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in Demon's Souls. Having recently learned how to ride a bike, he now wishes to travel almost everywhere on it.

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