ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When Pat Surtain II first heard the news, he didn't believe it.
Then, Surtain paused his workout, grabbed his phone and saw the reports that the Broncos were acquiring wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Dolphins.
"I'm pretty stoked," Surtain told DenverBroncos.com. "I'm very happy. I got the news while I was working out, and my workout guy, he just told me during the workout, and at first, I didn't believe it. Then I looked at my phone and checked it out, so I immediately FaceTimed him. We chopped it up. It's great energy, man. We're both excited. I'm happy for him. This is exactly what we needed, and he fits the team very well. So, I'm looking forward to it."
Waddle, with three 1,000-yard seasons in his first five years in the NFL, is more than just a dynamic addition for the Broncos' offense. He's also Surtain's former college roommate at Alabama and the Broncos All-Pro cornerback's best friend.
Surtain said he and Waddle used to talk about this possibility in college, but they also knew the unlikely nature of teaming up in the NFL. Waddle and Surtain were among the most talented players in the 2021 NFL Draft, and both players were selected within the first nine picks that year.
Five years after they were initially drafted, they'll now get to don the same uniform again and compete as teammates.
"We always talked about it and manifested playing on the same team together, and it all came to fruition," Surtain said. "This opportunity right here, the stage is set. I'm looking forward to going out there with my brother. … I know it's going to be electric. I'm looking forward to that."
Added Waddle: "He was one of the first calls that I made. We talked about this earlier in our careers, we wanted to get together and play with each other. Just seeing it happen, it's special."
Surtain said the two talk often, including during the season about how they're doing from a physical and mental standpoint.
"It's going to be great to exchange those conversations in person and in the actual locker room," Surtain said. "It's going to be fun, man."
Surtain's excitement also stems from what Waddle will bring to the Broncos as a player, as the explosive wide receiver has the third-highest yards per reception average since 2022.
"He has explosiveness," Surtain said. "He's fast — I'm talking about electric fast. He's going to bring speed, he's going to bring playmaking ability, all of it. That's what you want out of a guy like that. I've seen it firsthand. I know exactly what he's going to bring to the table, and I know Bo [Nix]'s very excited, because he's adding another weapon to his arsenal. It's going to be great for Broncos Country to see."
Surtain also knows the back-and-forth nature of the one-on-one matchups that could await in training camp. Surtain said "it's going to be a battle" covering Waddle in practice, and he said he's eager for the opportunity.
"He's very competitive," Surtain said. "He's got that competitive edge about him, and it's great for the team to bring that fire and that energy. I think he's going to jell well with the receiver corps with 'Court' [Courtland Sutton], Marvin [Mims Jr.], Troy [Franklin], Pat [Bryant], Lil'Jordan [Humphrey], all those guys. I think they're going to jell well, and that receiver room's going to be scary, man. It's going to be exciting to watch, and it's going to be fun to compete against them, for sure."
Waddle — who ranks in the top 10 in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns among AFC receivers since entering the league — could be a needed key piece as the Broncos eye lofty goals in 2026.
"I was very happy with our team already," Surtain said. "Adding Waddle to our team definitely increased our chances, for sure. I know in the league, not everything's guaranteed, but there's a lot to be excited about. There's a lot to look forward to. We've just got to go out there, have the same chip on our shoulder and the sky's the limit for us, man.
"… I'm very excited, very happy for this team and this organization. There's a lot to look forward to, for sure. I can't wait to get back out there with the guys and do this thing."
As the Broncos approach the offseason program and Waddle settles in, he and Surtain could even temporarily be roommates again.
"I told him on the phone, 'If you need a place to crash or you need a place to stay for some time, you can stay at the crib,'" Surtain said. "… It's brotherly love at the end of the day."
