A snub is in the eye of the beholder.
Now that the 2025 Pro Bowl Games rosters have been announced, discussion and debate about players from both conferences will abound. Some will be aghast at an omission from the Games. Others will take solace that a particular player or two finally garnered deserved attention. Everyone has their own list -- it's only natural.
With 88 total spots broken up between two conferences and each position being capped, it's impossible for every worthy player to be honored. There is a zero percent chance of everyone having the same 88 names. That's why "snub" lists like this exist.
In undertaking this endeavor yet again, I personally am less offended by players left off. Instead, I'd like to use this opportunity to highlight those men who have had outstanding years and might have just missed the cut. Some on my list will be outliers to a greater degree than others. The game of "who would you replace" is wholly unfair to the talented players who did have their names on the initial rosters. It's also not necessary. This is an all-star event for fun, not a cabinet position -- and a swath of players on the initial roster will be replaced, some due to making the Super Bowl, others because of injuries or for other reasons.
Before I get to my list, know that there is one name you won't see below, and you can consider him a snubbed snub, if you must: Patrick Mahomes.
The quarterback of the No. 1-seeded Chiefs has basically been a shoo-in for the Pro Bowl, earning a nod in every season since becoming the team's starter in 2018. Given Mahomes' standing as the back-to-back Super Bowl MVP guiding Kansas City to a 15-1 record, you could easily make a case for him to be a Pro Bowler again in 2025. Yet, by all standards outside of the win column -- which surely Mahomes would say is all he cares about -- this has been a down year for the all-world talent.
With Mahomes set to sit out a Week 18 contest against the Broncos that is meaningless to the Chiefs, he will have set career lows (going back to 2018) in passing yards (3,928), success rate (50.7%, per Pro Football Reference), yards per attempt (6.8) and yards per game (245.5) while tying for his lowest mark in TD passes (26). For most QBs, those numbers would be fine, if not excellent. For Mahomes, they're just OK. It makes his ability to deliver clutch plays in the crucible of big moments all the more impressive.
Mahomes' omission also speaks to the insane level at which Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are currently playing. Allen is leading a juggernaut Bills offense with both his arm and legs. He's creating fewer negative plays (taking just 14 total sacks so far) than ever. Burrow leads pretty much every statistical category and would probably be the MVP if not for the sieve-like defense holding Cincinnati back. And Jackson is having a better season than he did in 2023, when earned his second career MVP.
I wouldn't detest anyone who insists that leaving off the QB of a 15-1 club is a snub; Mahomes simply didn't make my list this season.
Consider DeJean a stand-in for the entire Eagles secondary, which was shut out of the Pro Bowl. The rookie has been sensational since entering the lineup in Week 6, proving to be the top slot corner in the NFL. His EPA when targeted (-28.3) is the best mark among all nickel backs and No. 2 among all defensive backs. His -0.46 EPA per target ranks second among all corners (minimum of 300 coverage snaps), behind only Pat Surtain II. DeJean is allowing a league-low 4.8 yards per target when aligned in the slot (minimum of 20 targets) and hasn't given up a TD as a slot defender, with five passes defended. The stingy rookie has helped transform Philly's defense under Vic Fangio. Entering Week 18, the Eagles D had allowed over one full fewer yard per pass attempt with DeJean on the field (5.6) than when he was off it (7.0).
The 13-3 Buffalo Bills have just two Pro Bowlers on the initial list: QB Josh Allen and offensive tackle Dion Dawkins. It's a nod to Allen's otherworldly play this season. But voters appear to have overlooked Cook's vital role in helping Buffalo to the AFC East title. Cook leads the NFL with 17 scrimmage TDs this season, including 15 rushing scores. Failing to clear 1,000 rushing yards (he has 981 rushing yards entering Week 18) before voting ended likely hurt his standing among voters, some of whom surely look only at backs who cross that threshold -- but Cook's 5.0 yards-per-carry mark ranks sixth among players with at least 150 carries. The Bills offense (which racks up 365.4 yards and 31.8 points per game) wouldn't be nearly as potent without Cook combining his ability to burn past defenders and mash out scores at the goal line. Buffalo has been at its best when the back is picking up chunk plays and Allen is play-actioning for deep throws. We knew that Buffalo was asking Allen to carry the passing load entering the season, but Cook deserves to be recognized for his role in a powerful offense.
The NFC West champs received a single Pro Bowl nod, which went to rookie Jared Verse. Williams was overlooked despite serving as the engine of the Rams' offense, generating 1,299 rushing yards (third most in the NFL) and 14 rushing touchdowns (tied for second). Williams' efficiency (4.1 yards per carry) to date has not been as great as other backs, but his ability to churn out 316 totes over a long season is noteworthy. Sean McVay leaned heavily on Williams to carry the load and keep the offense in favorable situations. Williams' 85 rushing first downs are second only to Derrick Henry (89), and he ranks fourth in missed tackles forced (77, two more than Saquon Barkley), per Next Gen Stats. The lack of explosive plays likely hindered Williams' candidacy, but it's not hyperbole to say that the Rams would not have won their division without the running back.
Unfortunately for Smith, Brock Bowers put up a historic season, and Travis Kelce is, well, Travis Kelce. However, the Dolphins' tight end put up Pro Bowl-worthy numbers in his own right, ranking fourth among NFL TEs in receiving yards (828) and tying for third in receiving TDs (seven). Smith grew into a key cog in Miami's offense, providing an outlet and run-after-catch ability that was previously missing from his spot on the field. With Tyreek Hill having a down season while Jaylen Waddle dealt with injury, Smith helped buoy the passing attack. His 57.4 receiving EPA ranks second among all tight ends (behind only George Kittle), his 0.58 EPA per target ranked third, his 502 yards after the catch ranked fourth and his 2.1 yards per route finished fifth. (For reference, Kelce had a mark of 1.6 yards per route.) This was the type of season that Bill Belichick surely envisioned Smith was capable of when the ex-Patriots coach signed him to a four-year, $50 million deal with New England in 2021.
No one stuffed the stat sheet across the board quite like Elliss in 2024. The Falcons linebacker has generated 139 tackles, 34 QB pressures (tied for most among off-ball 'backers, per NGS), five sacks, three pass breakups and one INT. He became the first Falcons player since tackles began to be officially tracked in 1994 to record 100-plus tackles, five-plus sacks and an interception in a single season. Atlanta used Elliss as a movable chess piece, lining him in the box, along the line and in the slot. After offenses began to key on his rushes, the Falcons started to use him as a bluff-dropper to fool quarterbacks. He missed some tackles, but his 14.1 percent tackle rate is tied for best among all linebackers, per NGS. The Falcons defense improved immensely as the season went on under Raheem Morris. Elliss' versatility and playmaking were a large reason why.
Several Bucs players could warrant nuggets on this list, including Bucky Irving and Mike Evans, but let's go with the firecracker QB. Mayfield has powered the Bucs to the precipice of another NFC South title, zooming lasers and dropping dimes on defenses. Even though he lost Chris Godwin for the season in Week 7 and had to work without Evans for a spell, Mayfield didn't miss a beat. Through 16 games, Mayfield ranks third in the NFL in passing yards (4,279), is tied for second in touchdown passes (39), is tied for second in completion percentage (71.7%) and ranks No. 2 in success percentage, per Pro Football Reference (54.2%). Mayfield rarely gives up on a play, consequently generating sack numbers (39 sacks) that likely hurt his case, but his total EPA of 73.3 still ranks tied for sixth among QBs. Last season, Mayfield was added to the Pro Bowl after an impressive first season in Tampa. He not only doubled down on the 2023 campaign but he improved upon it. He should be the first QB added in the NFC if another drops out.
Maybe Thomas suffered from a bias against rookies. Maybe it was playing all those forgettable games in Jacksonville. Maybe voters had already made up their minds before Thomas exploded down the stretch. Whatever the reason, Thomas was overlooked despite stacking numbers as a clear-cut No. 1 WR. Thomas sits at No. 5 in the NFL in receiving yards (1,179) and is tied for fifth with 10 receiving touchdowns. The 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft displayed an ability to win from every position, lining up wide and in the slot. He also showed advanced route-running techniques that left defenders in his dust. Thomas piled up the all that production despite being Jacksonville's obvious go-to target, someone that defenses game-planned to slow. Consider that all other Jags wideouts combined have fallen short of Thomas' yardage total, managing just 1,153 receiving yards through Week 17. Christian Kirk, who played in eight games before being lost to injury, still ranks second on the team in receiving yards with 379. Every other player -- including wideouts, tight ends and running backs -- combined for just eight receiving TDs. Oh, and Thomas put up some of his best games with backup Mac Jones under center. An ability to win even when defenses gear up to stop him down signifies a great receiver. Thomas flew under the radar as a rookie but likely won't for much longer.
Pressure is production -- unless you're voting for the Pro Bowl, apparently. Allen has been a backfield menace this season, leading all interior defensive linemen with 65 QB pressures (ninth-most among all defenders). When an interior player is getting the kind of push Allen has provided this season, he wrecks games. The pocket-pusher has keyed Vance Joseph's defense, eating up blockers and still producing; his 14 QB pressures when double-teamed are tied for fourth-most in the NFL. The 27-year-old sits third in sacks among all interior D-linemen with 8.5 (half a sack behind Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams). Allen's 20 stuffs lead all defenders, per NGS. Beyond the numbers, Allen has helped propel the Broncos into playoff contention on the strength of their defense. Nik Bonitto rightfully was given due attention for his big plays this season, but somehow, Allen was spurned.
Voters might have chosen the wrong Lions safety. I jotted down that line before Joseph came up with two additional interceptions, changing the game in a Week 17 win over San Francisco. That's not a knock on Brian Branch, who has been sensational; it's just that Branch's play seems to have somehow overshadowed Joseph's. The Lions free safety owns a league-high nine INTs, two more than the next-closest player (Packers Pro Bowler Xavier McKinney). The majority of those have come in high-leverage situations, with Joseph taking away points via end-zone interceptions (four). The ballhawk's advanced metrics blow those of other DBs out of the water. Per NGS, he's No. 1 in target EPA (-55.3) this season (No. 2 is Cooper DeJean at -28.3), EPA per target (-1.84; McKinney is at -0.75) and ballhawk rate, or the percentage of targets where the nearest defender made a play on the football via a pass defensed or INT (40%). The Lions' defense might have become a sieve due to injuries, but Joseph has helped keep the patchwork crew from completely crumbling.
What is it with Texans pass rushers being overlooked? In 2023, it was Jonathan Greenard, who apparently had to move to Minnesota to get his deserved flowers. Now it's Hunter, who made a Pro Bowl last season with the Vikings but was boxed out in Houston. It's mind-bending. Hunter leads the NFL with 90 QB pressures, five more than No. 2, Trey Hendrickson. Hunter's 19.3% QB pressure rate is tied for No. 1 with Micah Parsons (minimum of 300 pass-rush snaps). Hunter's omission might have been less head-scratching if he had been putting up pressure and not generating any sacks -- some voters surely still cling to that metric. But Hunter has 12 sacks, two behind the NFL co-leaders (Myles Garrett, Hendrickson). Given that he's been one of the league's best pressure producers on a defense that has scrambled the likes of Josh Allen and other top QBs and is on a playoff team, Hunter profiles as a shoo-in. Apparently, the nation collectively forgot about a Texans edge rusher again.
