Pat Surtain II on punt returns? What was considered ‘idiotic’ last season makes sense to Sean Payton
Jun 13, 2023, 3:03 PM
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sean Payton has always been clear about how he prioritizes special teams. It’s anything but an afterthought with his teams. That philosophy is hand-in-hand with his mentor and former boss, Bill Parcells, who long espoused that special teams was a path to creating rapid improvement.
“It’s one way to improve your team pretty quickly,” Payton reiterated in March at the NFL league meeting in Phoenix.
“… If you believe in hidden yardage and you understand yards equal points — each play you’re fighting for those yards. https://twitter.com/masedenver/status/1640388716765257728?s=21&t=YQWFMVHOwOqAhA0tvpjlxwThat’s an area that we felt like we needed to improve dramatically.”
Last week, Payton spent a significant chunk of the walk-through period going through specific end-game scenarios that often involve special teams. He made a point of having the entire team involved — not just the 11 players tasked with being on the field for those situations.
“It’s not just offense, go over here. Defense, go over here, and the kicking game, go over here,” Payton said.
If you’re a Bronco, you’re going to know special teams. That will be the case if you don’t have a clear on-field role.
And perhaps the players working on special teams will increase.
During Tuesday’s minicamp practice inside the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse, that was the case.
Because, out there with the punt returners, receiving one-on-one instruction from Payton himself during a punt drill, was the Broncos’ only current first-team All-Pro, cornerback Pat Surtain II.
Pat Surtain II on punt returns?
Sean Payton was working with the All-Pro cornerback on that at minicamp Tuesday and says, “(Special teams) are snaps in a game that are valuable. And so, if Surtain can help us as a returner when needed, then we'll have him ready ready.” pic.twitter.com/GUuWcfdTa6
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) June 13, 2023
It seemed like a bonkers notion last year. At least it did to Dwayne Stukes, the Broncos’ special-teams coordinator last year. He referred to the notion — raised by KKFN’s afternoon drive-time host, Darren McKee — as “idiotic.”
.@DMacRadio’s full exchange with Dwayne Stukes:
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 17, 2022
Surtain hasn’t returned punts since high school.
“Look, all of these guys are gonna have roles and you start asking questions and you start getting answers. And he did it in high school,” Payton said. “So, I want to know who we’re going to if [the No. 1 returner] is not ready.”
“… Look, there’s 53 on your roster. Forty-seven [active] on game day. And if I need a gunner taken out of the game, then who better to do that than Patrick? That’s what he does for a living.”
Payton thought back to a moment in which Hall-of-Fame outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor got involved with the Giants’ special teams.
“I watched Lawrence Taylor in a game at the Giants where they were winning pretty handily, and the team they were playing came back with a couple of kick returns, and I watched Lawrence Taylor remove about five guys on the kick-coverage unit and brought defensive players out — just lined them up and covered a kick. And that’s when you got something.
“So, these are snaps. They’re snaps in a game that are valuable. And so, if Surtain can help us as a returner when needed, then we’ll have him ready ready.”
This doesn’t mean Surtain will be the Broncos’ primary option on punt returns.
But at the same time, there is a Broncos tradition of having prominent players from offense or defense in that role from time to time. Eric Decker saw some occasional work there when he was a top-line receiver. Ditto Wes Welker during his two Broncos seasons. Even Ring of Famer Rod Smith saw rare work — and scored a touchdown on one 2003 return against the San Diego Chargers.
So, it clearly isn’t without some precedent.
But it’s amazing how quickly a coaching change can turn an “idiotic” notion into one that makes sense at Centura Health Training Center.
And given that Payton’s right-hand man is long-time special-teams guru Mike Westhoff, while Stukes got fired from his coordinator gig before completing a single beleaguered season, it’s pretty clear whose view wins the day.
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