NFL star playfully claims White teammate is being racially profiled by refs amid rash of penalties

Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss is one of the best in the NFL at his position, yet he has been flagged for defensive pass interference more than anyone in the league this season.

Moss’s teammate, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, thinks Moss’s race has something to do with it. Moss is one of the few White cornerbacks in the NFL, and Surtain wondered if that has anything to do with the calls.

“Riley balling, bro. I ain’t going to lie, I think they racial profiling my dog though, man. They calling all these flags on my boy, man. I ain’t going to lie, the flags is egregious, bruh,” Surtain said during a recent episode of “Closed on Sundays with Pat and Terrion.”

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Surtain recalled a recent play from the Broncos’ 44-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys where he thought Moss was unjustly flagged.

“You don’t understand, bro. He had a rep against CeeDee (Lamb). They ran (a fade route), he was in perfect position, played the ball, played his hands — they called a flag on my dog. I’m like I don’t know what it is. What they got against him?” Surtain said.

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold asked if Surtain thought Moss was being profiled and Surtain responded, “Yeah, they profiling him.”

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Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) breaks up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) in the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 26, 2025. (David Zalubowski/AP Photo)

“It gotta be, bruh. I don’t know what it is.”

Moss has been flagged for defensive pass interference seven times in eight games this season. The penalty was declined twice and accepted five times, according to nflpenalties.com.

Moss, 25, is in his third season in the NFL and will be asked to handle the opposition’s best wide receiver over the next few weeks after Surtain strained his pectoral muscle. Surtain is expected to miss a few weeks.

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Riley Moss (21) of the Denver Broncos stands on the field during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 26, 2025. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

Moss has nine defended passes and 38 combined tackles for the 6-2 Broncos through eight games this season.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Broncos, the NFL, and the NFL referee association for comment on Surtain’s theory.

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