Broncos All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II suffered a concussion in the first quarter Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers and missed the remainder of the game.

He had tight coverage on Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey and broke up a pass, but hit his head on the turf as they rolled over.

Surtain stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes while being attended to by medical staff. He was then able to get up and jog off the field on his own, but he had his hands raised and holding his helmet as he made his way off the field.

After briefly going to the sideline medical tent, he was escorted to the Broncos’ locker room and then later ruled out.

Surtain now enters the NFL and NFL Players Association’s jointly agreed upon concussion protocol.

Because Denver is headed into a short week before playing at New Orleans on Thursday night, Surtain will likely not be back on the field until, at the earliest, Week 8 at home against Carolina.

No rule explicitly prohibits a player concussed on a Sunday from playing Thursday night, but the five-step return-to-play protocol makes the timeline very difficult to overcome.

It’s not clear if any player has made it back on a shortened week, but if so it is rare.

Surtain is the reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week after he had two interceptions — including a game-altering, 100-yard return for a touchdown — last week against Las Vegas.

Concussions could leave the Broncos without their top cover man and New Orleans without its top receiver Thursday night as the Saints’ Chris Olave suffered a concussion earlier Sunday in a loss against Tampa Bay.

Ducks on parade>> Not only did Troy Franklin catch the first touchdown of his career in the fourth quarter, but he caught the ball from former Oregon teammate Bo Nix.

Nix, ever the quarterback, wasn’t going to leave out the third member of the party: Center Alex Forsyth.

“I thought it was unique: We had an Oregon player snap it, an Oregon player throw it and an Oregon player catch it,” Nix said. “I don’t know if that’s ever happened in the NFL. It probably has with as long as the NFL’s been going but I think it’s pretty cool.”

Lineup shuffling>> Denver had safeties JL Skinner and Keidron Smith, special teams regulars early in the season, both inactive. Defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike was active for the first time this year and the first time since a gambling suspension that cost him the entire 2023 season. He played rotationally up front and finished with four tackles.

Practice squad tackle Cam Fleming just signed back with the Broncos on Tuesday but he got reps on special teams.