Worst NFL Pro Bowl snubs over last 10 seasons

Worst NFL Pro Bowl snubs over last 10 seasons originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

It’s official. Roquan Smith did not make the 2022 Pro Bowl team and fans on Twitter were sad while sharing their thoughts.

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai called Smith’s snub ‘a travesty’ upon hearing the news that his star linebacker did not make the cut.

Among the list of this year’s Pro Bowl snubs are Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette, Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarelle Patterson, just to name a few.

Patterson was a kickoff returner with the Bears for the 2019 and 2020 seasons and made a historic return against the Minnesota Vikings last season, returning a kickoff that tied with Josh Cribbs and Leon Washingon for the most in NFL history (8).

To feel better about NFL greats being snubbed around this time of year, here’s a list of the biggest Pro Bowl snubs over the last 10 seasons.

2021

The Pro Bowl game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020

Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

At the time Pro Bowl names were announced last season, Cousins was the fourth-best passer in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus’ passing grades. Leading in that category were Drew Brees, Ryan Tannehill and Russell Wilson. Cousins led the NFL in percentage of throws considered accurate by PFF analysts at 64.8 percent.

2019

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons and Christian McCaffery, RB, Carolina Panthers

During Pro Bowl announcements, Ryan held the NFL’s fourth-highest passer rating (107.6), ranked third in passing yards (4,307) and was tied for fourth in touchdown passes (30).

Story continues

McCaffery was probably one of the biggest snubs in the NFC in 2019. He led all NFL running backs with receiving yards. He calculated 1,747 yards from scrimmage on 979 rushing yards and 768 receiving yards.

2018

Alex Smith, QB, Kansas City Chiefs and Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears

Let’s start off with Alex Smith. Smith was sixth in the league in passing and held an NFL-best 105.6 passer rating.

Moving onto Howard, I guess Bears players getting snubbed is a thing. At this time, it was the third straight year that zero Bears players were selected to the Pro Bowl. Howard had a stellar rookie season in 2016 with 1,313 rushing yards and succeeded the following year with another 1,000-yard rushing season. His powerful offensive numbers from back-to-back seasons made him one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL.

2017

Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

Stafford, who has made big waves on his current Rams squad, was not only snubbed for the 2022 Pro Bowl but for the 2017 Pro Bowl as well. In December 2016, Stafford had passed for 3,720 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also produced eight fourth-quarter comebacks during the course of the 2016 season.

2016

Mike Daniels, DE, Green Bay Packers

Daniels ended up finishing the 2015 season with 49 tackles, four sacks, one interception, two passes defended and one forced fumble.

Honorable mention:

Current Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson, who was playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, had 1,141 yards and 13 touchdowns and did not make it to the Pro Bowl.

2015

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Remember when #Russ2Chicago was all the rage for Bears fans in the offseason? Wilson is one of the most notable quarterbacks in the league and would have been selected as an alternate to the Pro Bowl but did not play because the Seahawks made it to Super Bowl XLIX, losing to the New England Patriots 28-24. On October 6, 2014, Wilson set a new Monday Night Football record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game (122). In the previous season, Wilson led the Seahawks to win their first Super Bowl title.

Wilson currently has eight Pro Bowls under his belt and is tied for second-most in franchise history with Bobby Wagner and Cortez Kennedy.

2014

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles and Jurrell Casey, DT, Tennessee Titans

There was a time when Chicago Bears QB3 Nick Foles played like a top-tier quarterback. Around December 2013, Foles had only started nine games and had more than 2,600 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.

While Foles was doing well with the Eagles, Jurrell Casey was leading the league in sacks by a defensive tackle with 10.5. He also had 55 total tackles and one forced fumble.

2013

Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks

Sherman was one of NFL’s most-elite cornerbacks and finished the 2012 season with 53 solo tackles (64 combined) a career-high 24 pass deflections, eight interceptions, one touchdown and one sack.

2012

Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions and Brian Cushing, LB, Houston Texans

Stafford is becoming a regular on the Pro Bowl snubs list. Stafford was left off of the NFC Pro Bowl team after Eli Manning was selected as the third quarterback even though Stafford posted better numbers than Manning, including 10 more touchdowns. Stafford had 4,518 yards, 36 touchdowns and 14 interceptions compared to Manning’s 4,587 yards, 26 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Was Stafford the biggest Pro Bowl snub of all time?

Brian Cushing finished the 2011 season with 114 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He was named Team MVP and earned AP 2nd Team Al-Pro honors.

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