ENGLEWOOD – Pat Surtain II moved even with some Broncos legends Tuesday and passed a former star in his own family.

When the star cornerback was named an AFC starter for the Pro Bowl Games, he joined safety Steve Atwater and outside linebacker Von Miller as the only players in Denver history to make the Pro Bowl in four of their first five seasons. Surtain also passed his father, Pat Surtain, a cornerback who made three Pro Bowls while playing in the NFL from 1998-2008.

“I’ve got bragging rights now,’’ the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year said with a laugh after a practice at Broncos Park. “He can’t say too much now. But I think it’s definitely great for the legacy, great for the Surtain lineage for sure. So, it’s definitely something that I dreamed of for sure. Just keep on … perfecting my craft and keep on holding that name strong.”

There was plenty more to cheer about Tuesday for the Broncos, who had six players named to the Pro Bowl. Also named as AFC starters were tackle Garett Bolles, guard Quinn Meinerz and outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. Named as reserves were wide receiver Courtland Sutton and defensive tackle Zach Allen.

“I’m excited for all those guys,’’ said Broncos coach Sean Payton, who delivered the selection news to each and recognized those chosen in a team meeting.

It marks the fourth straight Pro Bowl appearance for Surtain, the second straight for Bonitto and the second overall for Sutton, who last made it in 2019. The other three players will make their first appearance.

Bolles is in his ninth NFL season. The left tackle was overwhelmed to finally get a Pro Bowl nod.

“It was a pretty special moment,’’ he said about hearing the news from Payton. “Obviously, I’m the type of guy that, I work in the shadows, so that’s how I’ve been like my whole life. I’ve always been doubted and not appreciated in my life, but to be able to be appreciated in this organization that I love dearly, and the hard work that I put in. But this award, I have great guys next to me.”

Entering Thursday night’s game at Kansas City, the Broncos are tied with New England and Seattle for the NFL’s best record at 12-3, so it was no surprise they had a half-dozen selections. Denver had its most selections since also getting six in 2016 and tied Baltimore, San Francisco and Seattle for having the most 2025 selections.

Several of the Broncos Pro Bowlers said they should have had more players picked. Denver did have seven Pro Bowl alternates named in quarterback Bo Nix, safety Talanoa Hufanga, inside linebacker Alex Singleton, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, fullback Adam Prentice, safety Devon Key for special teams and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. as a returner.

“I think he definitely got snubbed,’’ Surtain said of Hufanga. “He means a lot to this defense. I feel like he’s definitely one of the unsung heroes on this defense.”

Payton agreed that Hufanga, second in the fan voting at safety among all NFL players and first in the AFC, should have made it. Pro Bowl selections are based on one-third of a vote by fans, one-third by players and one-third by coaches.

The Pro Bowl Games will take place Feb. 3 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco in advance of Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif. After the Pro Bowl was a game with tackling, it was replaced by a flag football event three years ago. There also are various skill competitions.

“That used to be a pretty good game in Hawaii,’’ Payton quipped. “Now we’re doing sack races and other stuff.”

If the Broncos are preparing in February to play in the Super Bowl, all their Pro Bowl representatives will be replaced.

Meinerz turned down an offer to be an alternate last season since he said he didn’t want to go in that role. He reiterated last week he again would turn down any Pro Bowl offer as an alternate. But now that won’t be necessary.

“I don’t play this game for individual recognition, especially as an offensive lineman but it is part of it and it’s an honor to be the starter for the AFC,’’ Meinerz said.

Meinerz said it “definitely did bother me a little bit” not being initially selected for the Pro Bowl last season when he was named first-team All-Pro. He said he has since come to the realization it’s “like a popularity contest.” He touched upon a talk he had with Payton last season when the coach told him that up-and-coming players often don’t make the Pro Bowl until the second year they are deserving but then might make one later in their career a year after they are truly deserving.

Payton retold the story Tuesday about his talk last year with Meinerz. Payton told The Denver Gazette he had the same conversation last season with Allen when the defensive tackle didn’t make the Pro Bowl before later being named second-team All-Pro.

“Definitely, obviously last year, I thought I should have got it,’’ Allen said. “But it’s kind of the way it goes. The first year you get on the map, you kind of don’t get it and then hopefully at the end of my career, when I don’t deserve, I’ll steal one. So it all balances out. … (Payton) told Quinn and I the same thing (in separate discussions). … I’m really blessed to be in this position.”

Allen leads the NFL with 43 quarterback hits. Bonitto leads the Broncos with 12.5 sacks, and is looking in the final two games of the season to top the career high of 13.5 he had in 2024.

“Just being able to watch it, growing up all the time, and kind of just picturing myself one day being able to go and live out that type of dream, it’s been very surreal for me,’’ Bonitto said of having been named to Pro Bowls. “No matter how many times, if I ever get elected again, I’ll be grateful every time.”

Sutton, meanwhile, had to wait six years before being invited back to the Pro Bowl. He made it in 2019 as an alternate.

“At the end of the day, I’m just grateful to be in this position,’’ said Sutton, who leads the Broncos with 69 catches for 972 yards. “(I’m) grateful for the teammates that I have to allow me to be able to go out and perform and be able to even have this chance to get this accolade.”

For Surtain, it’s becoming commonplace to make Pro Bowls. Still, he has been thrilled to be mentioned in same company as Atwater, who played for the Broncos from 1989-98 and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Miller, who played for them from 2011-21 and will be in the Hall of Fame.

“That’s an historic group to be a part of,’’ Surtain said. “To establish your name among those type of players, it means a lot.”

At the same time, Surtain has moved his name above his father’s on the Pro Bowl list.