The Kansas City Chiefs can no longer look at the rival Denver Broncos as two automatic wins before the season starts, as the development of Pat Surtain into the game’s best cornerback and Bo Nix’s strong rookie season have them poised to cause Kansas City some real problems in 2025.

However, the Chiefs should still be considered overwhelming favorites to beat Denver in any head-to-head matchup until proven otherwide. Surtain, fresh off winning Defensive Player of the Year, is feeling so confident in his team that he is envisioning a changing of the guard in the AFC West.

In an appearance on the “Get Got Pod” with Marshawn Lynch, Surtain declared the Broncos are “going to get after them boys for sure” when asked about the Chiefs, citing the fact that many of their recent games have been very close and that Denver will be better at executing late in games this year.

While it is admirable for Surtain to believe in his club, Chiefs fans have seen some variation of this speech pop up every year for the last half-decade, and no one has followed through on it. Why would the Broncos be any different this year?

Broncos CB Pat Surtain II calls out Chiefs after 2024 playoff run

The Chiefs are 13-1 in the Patrick Mahomes era against Denver when No. 15 is out on the field. The Chiefs may have narrowly beaten Denver on the back of a blocked field goal with time expiring last year, but a win is still a win, and the Broncos can only bemoan their poor special teams execution for that loss.

Denver may have caught many by surprise last year, but now everyone is aware of both Nix’s quality and the depth of one of the best defenses in the league. Mahomes and the Chiefs will need to be aware of the destructive power Surtain’s unit can bring to the table.

The factor that separates these two teams is Mahomes’ pedigree. Despite Nix’s improvements, would anyone take him over Mahomes if these two teams get into a shootout and one clutch two-minute drive is needed to pull out a victory?

Denver has made some improvements, and they may end up eventually being the ones who take control of the AFC West back from Kansas City after their decade of dominance, but Surtain’s comments have just as likely a chance of blowing up in his face and turning him into a pariah.