Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams has had a fantastic season yet again. Oddly, while he has been viewed by many as one of the best players along the interior of the defensive line for nearly a decade, he has only made one Pro Bowl. He did not make it again this season, either.
Let's be real. The Pro Bowl is a popularity contest. Williams goes about his business in an understated way and is certainly not outspoken. In fact, he speaks eloquently and that might bore some who are looking for more outlandish statements. That is not Williams' style.
He deserved to be named to the Pro Bowl Games even though, compared to other sports, the NFL's all-star event looks nothing like the sport itself. Not anymore. For years, there was an all-star game held in Hawaii but lots of players simply opted out of playing. Their team was not in contention for the Super Bowl, so they wanted to start their vacations, not play in a meaningless game.
Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams wrongly gets left off Pro Bowl Games roster
The problem is that the NFL has made the game meaningless. Understanding that few players cared about participating, the league chose to hold a skills competition and a muted form of a game in hopes that more players would happily appear. There was little risk of being hurt, of course, as now the "game" at the Pro Bowl Games is literally flag football.
Still, one would think it is an honor to be named to the AFC and NFC squads for the game. It should mean the player has done something more special than what their peers were able to accomplish during the season. Among interior defensive linemen, Williams ranked second in quarterback hits (15), fourth in sacks (9), and fifth in run stuffs.
Williams was named as an alternate, but that is worthless. If someone doesn't want to show, then Williams can take potentially their place. That is just a re-enforcement of the proverbial slap in the face he received by not being named to the NFC team, which he certainly deserved to be.
The Seahawks only had one player named and that was cornerback Devon Witherspoon. He deserved the nod, though so did other Seattle players.
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was also named as an alternate, but he should have made the team. Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin made the squad but JSN has more receiving yards and more receptions than the Commanders' receiver. Other alternates for Seattle included punter Michael Dickson, safety Julian Love, and edge rusher Boye Mafe.