ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Riley Moss is a, uh, well, how do we put this?
One of kind.
“It’s crazy because a lot of people were questioning what the white cornerback was going to do, but he’s definitely making history,’’ Broncos’ star Pat Surtain II, who starts at one cornerback position, said after his team’s 34-18 victory Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Moss starts at the Broncos’ other boundary corner spot. He is the first white guy to start as an NFL cornerback in 21 years, since Jason Sehorn in 2003. It does seem a little silly that it took so long for Moss to arrive. He is fun to watch because he’s so aggressive, athletic, long, quick, fast and physical. These are all traits that would make Moss good in any sport – basketball, baseball, track, lacrosse – you name it. But they are also common traits among cornerbacks.
And so, Moss, who is an Iowan through and through, played cornerback.
“The first time that was my position was 6th grade travel team football,’’ Moss said in an interview with 9NEWS for the Broncos Huddle. “As I went through the high school ranks I was under-recruited and I had a lot of people tell me, ‘You’re going to switch to safety when you go to college.’ Ended up going to Iowa and I did play safety for about a week, week or two, and then I kept telling them, “Put me at corner.’ They put me at corner and never looked back.’’
After a stellar five-year stay at Iowa, where he was twice named All Big 10 and returned three of his 11 interceptions for touchdowns, Moss arrived at the NFL Combine in 2023 and had to go through the same old stigma that he must be a safety at the NFL level. Because, um, you know.
“Yep. The majority of teams I met with through the Combine process asked me if I’m able to play safety,’’ Moss said. “One of the teams that did not say that to me was the Denver Broncos. So they were high on my list and it ended up working out great.”
The Broncos didn’t have any more third-round draft picks as it got past the late-60 selections but they badly wanted Moss. So general manager George Paton traded a third-round draft pick in 2024 to get into the No. 82 slot of the third round in 2023 to nab Moss.
But then came a bum break. After essentially missing his rookie year, at least on defense, because of a core-muscle injury that required surgery during training camp, Moss, and the cornerback position he plays, was one of the Broncos’ biggest question marks going into this offseason. But he beat out veterans Levi Wallace and Damarri Mathis for the boundary spot opposite Surtain and Moss has been an every-game starter since.
“It was one of those things where you learn a lot,’’ Moss said of his injury setback last year. “You learn a lot about yourself and what you can get through. There was some low points last year. Physically, obviously, and also mentally. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand, when you get hurt, it’s a lot of mental stuff.
“Got through that and get to the offseason and before OTAs it was a big Me-Against-The-World. I’m going to prove everyone that I’m the best at what I can do and if you don’t believe in me, come watch me, I’m going to do it.”
He led the Broncos with 12 tackles in the season-opener at Seattle and he got his first interception this past Sunday against Raiders’ quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who threw a 50-50 ball down the right sideline that Moss won. There’s been a couple questionable pass interference penalties in between but maybe the refs are having a tough time believing what they see, too.
“I ain’t going to get into that,’’ Moss said, smiling.
Yeah, but that call in the end zone when Moss had perfect position and knocked the ball away with his free hand?
“Yeah that’s brutal,’’ he said. “That was tough, but...”
After his interception Sunday off Minshew, the first of his career, Moss ran down to the team’s end zone, as defensive players have been known to do after a pick, but then he didn’t do much with his celebration. Raising his arm with the football isn’t much in today’s day and age.
“I grew up where my dad always told me, ‘Act like you’ve been there before,’’’ Moss said. “But then you get to the league and I haven’t been there before. That’s something I’ve got to work on for sure.’’
Said Surtain: “I think he was pretty excited and didn’t know what to do.”
There’s little doubt Moss will get more opportunities to act out a turnover. Surtain has long established himself as a first-team All Pro and two-time Pro Bowler. And that was while he had very few interceptions. Now that he got two picks Sunday against the Raiders, including a turn-the-game-on-its-head, 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, quarterbacks will be even more weary of throwing the ball Surtain’s way.
Which means all those passes thrown in Moss’ direction will continue.
“Throw the ball my way,’’ Moss said with cornerback bravado. “I knew it was going to happen. Pat’s on the other side. And also it’s the white guy playing corner. Check paid every time.”
Speaking of paying the check, Moss and the Broncos’ defensive backs have developed an off-campus routine.
“We have a great group of guys and that’s what makes it,’’ he said. “So enjoyable to come in. I think that’s why we’ve seen success is just because the guys in the locker room, we’re so tight. We have DB dinners on Thursday nights and everyone shows up and we have a great time. In the building, great; out of the building, even better.”
Still, opponents will have their doubts. With Surtain on the other side, what choice do they have? They’ll find out. Just like the team that asked him during a Combine interview if Moss thought he could cover Justin Jefferson, the great Vikings’ receiver.
“I get it,’’ Moss said. “I get the questions and stuff. But at the same time I believe in myself to go against whoever.”
