Surtain and Sam Madison once formed the best CB tandem in the NFL

Keep your cell phone charged. And head out to dinner, weekly, if at all possible.

That’s the way it was for Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison, back in the day. They are two of the best defensive players in Miami Dolphins history.

And they formed one of the best NFL cornerback duos of their generation.

“If you look at it, the numbers speak for themselves,” Surtain said Thursday. “The Pro Bowls and the All Pro teams speak for themselves. We were the best at that time. No other guys had that many career interceptions under their belts. Those five or six years, from 99-04, we were right up there.”

Surtain was, and is, confident, like all great cornerbacks. And his cohort, Madison, was, and is, supremely confident, too.

But as Surtain explained, fostering a positive relationship with Madison was key to their success. Madison was a second round pick of the Dolphins in 1997, 44th overall. And Surtain arrived a year later, also a second round pick, also 44th overall.

Surtain says he never felt any jealousy or resentment from Madison after his arrival. He felt they could help each other. And Madison took the same approach.

“The defensive backs all went out to eat together on a Thursday night,” Surtain recalled. “That was our night. Coming together off the field, showed on the field. Guys had each others' back. Now don't think that because there wasn't jealousy that we didn't compete. But we had each others' backs. If a guy messed up, we picked him up. That was one of the better defenses in the league. We wanted everyone to succeed because it made the group better.”

That’s the approach Brian Flores will surely stress when speaking with Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard, and Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones, who just signed a monster contract with Miami that eclipses Howard’s.

Team first. Selflessness. Anything that can lead to more wins.

“There was no tension,” Surtain said. “Every day in practice we did extra things to make each other better, and it showed. We were two students of the game. We would call each other, watching the Monday Night Games, and be like, ’Man did you see this?’ Like both of us were thinking the same thing. Like, ’When this guy has his mouthpiece out of his mouth, it's definitely a pass.’ We studied the game. That's what made us so special.”

Madison was a Pro Bowler in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Surtain was a Pro Bowler in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

But unlike that moment where Dwayne Wade turned over the role of leader of the Heat to LeBron James, Surtain says it never really went down that way in Miami.

“We were going against guys like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne,” Surtain said. “There was no time to be like, ’You're the lead dog.’ I played the left side. He played the right side. We didn't switch. On third down I went to the slot and they brought another guy in. When you're out there on the field you're not thinking. You support one another. There wasn't really a passing of the guard, because I thought I should have made the Pro Bowl many more times before that.”

Surtain laughed. He and Madison are still great friends.

And they’re both coaches now, too. Surtain is head coach at the very successful American Heritage in Plantation. Madison is defensive backs/cornerbacks coach for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

They are both very good teachers now. And they were both very good ball hawks in their day.

Madison had 31 interceptions in 138 games with Miami.

Surtain had 29 interceptions in 108 games with Miami.

Howard, who earns $15 million a season, third in the NFL, already has 12 interceptions in 40 games for Miami.

Howard was the highest-paid corner in the NFL until Miami agreed this week to pay Jones $16.5 million a season. Jones is one of the best cover corners in the NFL, though he has only two career interceptions in five seasons with Dallas.

“Yeah you have to pick the poison now,” Surtain said. “Do you want X, who had proven he takes the ball away and has tremendous ball skills or do you want to go at Byron? Even without the picks. Maybe guys weren't throwing his way. Maybe his back was to the ball in press coverage. So he probably has a whole bunch of breakups. But he's going to get his opportunities and coach is going to put him in the best position. X has proven he'll make you pay and I think ultimately that's going to get Byron a bunch of opportunities.”

Howard and Jones were surpassed financially by Darius Slay, acquired by the Eagles and awarded a new contract of $16.7 million per season on Thursday. Perhaps Howard and Jones can share a laugh about that over a meal one day.

Surtain notes he has the highest respect for some of the best cornerback duos he’s seen or watched footage of. He cites Lester Hayes and Michael Haynes. Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield.

“And Deion Sanders and whoever was playing opposite him at the moment,” Surtain said.

From his generation, Surtain notes his respect for Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor. And Charles Woodson and Al Harris.

“There were a bunch of good ones but we fit right in there,” Surtain said of he and Madison, part of a secondary some dubbed, ’The no fly zone.’

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier has assembled a strong current secondary, which the team expects to be anchored by two of the most talented cornerbacks in the NFL.

Surtain says their press coverage skills will generate more pass rush. Surtain said safeties won’t have to roll to help out. Surtain said Flores and his staff will be able to line up with opposing receivers based on the most favorable matchups.

And more than anything, Surtain, who would know first-hand, says Howard and Jones, assuming they suppress any ego, and put the team first, will make each other even better.

“I know X,” Surtain said. “I've met him and talked with him. I think he's going to welcome Byron Jones to the team. As a competitor, he thinks he's the best. And I think he's one of the best, too. Aside from the money, I think X wants to win, first and foremost. I don't think there's going to be any jealous or any envy. When you become a teammate, now you have one purpose and one goal in mind, and that's to win.”

@schadjoe

jschad@pbpost.com

To sign up for a free Dolphins newsletter, click here.