Earlier this month, three Denver Broncos players — cornerback Pat Surtain, pass rusher Nik Bonitto and returner Marvin Mims — were elected to the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl.
Surtain, Bonitto and Mims were named starters for the AFC squad that will be coached by former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning. Denver also had eight players named alternates for this year’s Pro Bowl.
“I’m always excited for those guys and just as much — we had a number of alternates,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said on Jan. 3. “It’s always a big deal to these guys.”
The Pro Bowl has switched to a flag football format, but being voted to the all-star game is still a precious honor that helps players improve their resumes.
“[E]ach year when they talk about Hall of Fame for these guys, they discuss Pro Bowls and All-Pro,” Payton said. “Those things are brought up. I’m excited for those three. They’re well deserved, and [I’m] excited for the opportunity those other may have as alternates.”
Surtain has now been elected to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons.
“It’s a huge honor to be [selected] for the Pro Bowl,” PS2 said on Jan. 2. “It just goes to show the type of year I’ve had, along with this team. We had me, Marvin, Nik and a bunch of other guys [as alternates], too. I think when you put team success along individual success, you get accolades like that.”
Surtain is familiar with the all-star treatment, but Bonitto will be making his first trip to the Pro Bowl after totaling 13.5 sacks in 2024.
“It means the world,” Bonitto said. “Just knowing that it was something that I always dreamed of as a kid. Just being able to watch it all the time as a kid and trying to envision myself one day being there, for it to be a reality now is a dream come true.”
Mims, meanwhile, is just the second Bronco to reach the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons, joining team legend Von Miller (2011-2012).
“It’s pretty cool,” Mims said. “I saw that this morning. Any time I can be recognized in the same stat as him, it’s amazing. He was a great player for this organization, this franchise. Even till this day, people talk about him and it’s always positive things. Just to be recognized in the same area as him is a special thing for me.”
Denver guard Quinn Meinerz and long snapper Mitch Fraboni are both first alternates, so they are the team’s most likely players to be added to the Pro Bowl roster next week.
The Pro Bowl will have a skills competition on Thursday, Jan. 30 (ESPN) followed by a flag football game on Sunday, Feb. 2 (ESPN/ABC). Peyton Manning (AFC) and Eli Manning (NFC) will coach the teams in Orlando.
