The 2023 NFL Pro Bowl rosters were revealed Wednesday night, but there are always a few players who haven’t made the cut.
Most players are picked because of their outstanding seasons. Sometimes other players are selected based on their reputation within the league though production.
And many other players are simply left out, making the Pro Bowl overlook one of the most exciting talking points among players and fans each year.
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Here is a list of the biggest 2023 Pro Bowl games:
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
Most scorned this season, McCaffrey finished fifth in the NFL with 1,550 yards from scrimmage, and is the only NFL player ranked 1-7 in the class not to be a Pro Bowl selection.
Perhaps playing for two teams was far from McCaffrey’s attempt? But since leaving the Carolina Panthers for the San Francisco 49ers, McCaffrey has changed up his freshman offense, and the 49ers have two third-ranked finishes in the NFC race.
He should be in the mix ahead of Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard and Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders.
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
No NFL player has had more Pro Bowl votes than the Dolphins’ quarterback, but Tagovailoa has never been an AFC quarterback.
Tagovailoa has the credentials, leads the NFL in quarterback rating, touchdown percentage and yards per attempt, and is second in the QBR.
Instead, the honors went to Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, and Joe Borough of the Cincinnati Bengals. Every player deserves their picks, as all three teams are seeded in the top three in the AFC playoff race.
Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler
The Chargers’ “political” attempt to get Ekeler into the Pro Bowl was unsuccessful. And that’s a shame.
Ekeler’s 1,324 yards from scrimmage ranks eighth among all NFL players, while he ties Detroit’s Jamal Williams’ 14 total touchdowns this season for a league-high.
Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans is a mainstay, Nick Chubb has been a stellar starter of the year for the Cleveland Browns, and Josh Jacobs has been a superstar for the Las Vegas Raiders. But Ekeler was definitely worthwhile.
Other vultures are worth studying
The Eagles led the NFL with eight professional players, but those four players were instrumental in Philadelphia’s defense.
► Cornerback James Bradberry is one of the best in the league with 14 pass deflections (second in the NFL), and leads the NFL with a 42.8 passer rating when targeted by opposing quarterbacks.
► Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave has 10 sacks this season, while defensive tackle Josh Sweat finishes with 9.5. Their teammate Haason Reddick had 12 sacks.
► Safety Chauncey Gardner Johnson leads the NFL with six interceptions.
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Alex Highsmith
Of all the players with at least 11 sacks this season, Highsmith is the only player left out of the Pro Bowl pool. He also leads the NFL with five forced attempts this season.
Highsmith starred in a season in which fellow reigning Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt missed big time due to injury and still made the Pro Bowl.
Amon Ra Saint Brown among the other Detroit Lions
It’s a shame the Detroit duo of St. Browns and Williams didn’t get any Pro Bowl love, as both were instrumental parts of the Lions’ comeback this season.
St. Brown may not have 1,000 yards receiving (974), but all but one of the other receivers ahead of him have made the Pro Bowl.
As previously mentioned, Williams is tied with Eckler for leading the NFL for 14 touchdowns.
Quarterback Jared Goff and offensive tackle Benny Sewell also deserve some attention.
Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook
Cook is the only NFL running back who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards (1,045) and not made the Pro Bowl.
He also scored 10 touchdowns this season, more than his teammate — receiver Justin Jefferson — for the NFC North champions.
Miami Dolphins WR Gillen Waddell
Waddle may have been overshadowed by fellow receiver Tyreek Hill, who earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Waddle’s 1,117 yards ranks seventh in the NFL, while his seven touchdowns are in the top ten. But the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, who has eight touchdowns, earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Buffalo Bills LB Matt Milano
The heart and soul of Buffalo’s defense, Milano has been a great playmaker for the first team in the AFC playoff picture.
Milano is trying shy of leading the team with 85, but has two interceptions, eight pass deflections and 12 tackles for loss for the AFC East Bills.
Carolina Panthers CB Jesse Horn
The Panthers haven’t been the sexiest team to watch this season, but the starting quarterback is putting up impressive numbers.
Horn, in his comeback from an ACL tear last season, is one of the best defensemen in the NFL with a 55.0 scoring rating (fourth in the NFL) and completion percentage of 52.7 percent.
Those two figures are equal with New York Jets rookie quarterback Gardner and Seattle Seahawks defensive back Tariq Wolin who both made the lineup.
New England Patriots RB Ramondry Stephenson
If it weren’t for Stevenson, who knows how productive the Patriots’ offense has been this season.
Stevenson is 12th in the NFL with 1,295 yards from scrimmage, which includes 914 on the ground. But his six-point total prevents him from jumping the others.
Still, Stephenson — a fourth-round pick in his sophomore season — is one of the main reasons New England has been able to stay afloat this season.
