{
  "id": 12774449,
  "title": "Broncos Dodge Major Blow as Sean Payton Reveals IR Decision on Former Alabama Star",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/broncos-dodge-major-blow-as-sean-payton-reveals-ir-decision-on-former",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T03:13:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/broncos-dodge-major-blow-sean-031337012.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pat Surtain II, the Denver Broncos' All-Pro cornerback, sustained a right ankle injury during the team's 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. He was helped off the field late in the first half and never returned to action. The injury occurred on a non-contact play, and Surtain gathered four tackles before leaving the game. On Wednesday, head coach Sean Payton confirmed that he does not expect Surtain to be placed on injured reserve, keeping the timeline for his return shorter. Surtain had previously missed three games due to a pectoral strain last season, showing that the Broncos can cope with an absence from their star cornerback. Receivers Pat Bryant and Kris Abrams-Draine, along with fellow starters Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron, are expected to step up and handle the outside spots. Denver faces the winless Los Angeles Chargers in their upcoming AFC West matchup, with Surtain's availability remaining uncertain.",
  "summary": "Pat Surtain II was helped off the field late in the first half of the Denver Broncos’ 24-14 loss at San Francisco on Sunday. The All-Pro cornerback never returned, and Broncos fans spent days waiting for answers. Head coach Sean Payton stayed quiet early in the week, now he has offered a clue that could […] The post Broncos Dodge Major Blow as Sean Payton Reveals IR Decision on Former Alabama…",
  "key_points": [
    "Pat Surtain II injures right ankle in 24-14 loss to 49ers",
    "Coach Sean Payton expects Surtain to avoid IR placement",
    "Team will rely on Bryant, Abrams-Draine, Moss, Barron"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}