Contempt is in the eye of the beholder.
Now that the rosters for the 2025 Pro Bowl game have been announced, there will be a lot of discussion and debate about players from both conferences. Some people may be appalled by his exclusion from the Olympics. Some may take solace that a particular player or two is finally getting the attention they deserve. Everyone has their own list. That’s natural.
With a total of 88 spots split between the two conferences and caps for each position, it is impossible for every worthy player to be recognized. There is a 0% chance that everyone has the same 88 names. That’s why such “ignore” lists exist.
By doing this again, I personally am less upset when players are sent off. Instead, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight those who may have had glorious years but who happened to have missed out on opportunities. Some of my lists are much more outliers than others. The game of “who will replace me” is completely unfair to the talented players who were on the initial roster. That’s not necessary either. This is an All-Star event for fun, not cabinet positions, and many players on the initial roster will be replaced, some due to Super Bowl appearances and others due to injury or other reasons. They will be replaced.
Before you get into my list, please know that there is one name you don’t see below. Patrick Mahomes.
The top-seeded Chiefs’ quarterback is essentially a Pro Bowl favorite and has garnered attention every season since becoming the team’s starter in 2018. Given Mahomes’ second-straight Super Bowl MVP status, it’s easy to make a case for him to be a Pro Bowler again in 2025 if he leads Kansas City to a 15-1 record. But by every measure other than the win column — and I’m sure Mahomes would say that’s all he cares about — it’s been a down year for talented players around the world.
Mahomes will miss the Chiefs’ meaningless Week 18 game against the Broncos, posting career lows (dating back to 2018) in passing yards (3,928) and completion percentage (50.7%, per Pro Football Reference). It’s going to happen. , tied for the lowest in TD passes (26) while recording yards per attempt (6.8) and yards per game (245.5). For most QBs, these numbers would be fine, if not great. That’s no problem for Mahomes. That makes his ability to make clutch plays in the crucible of big moments all the more impressive.
Mahomes’ absence also speaks to the insane level that Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are currently playing. Allen leads a huge Bills offense with both his arms and legs. He has fewer negative plays than he has in the past (only 14 total sacks so far). Burrow leads in nearly every statistical category and would likely 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 he won his second career MVP.
I don’t hate people who claim it’s disrespectful to quit a QB on a 15-1 club. Mahomes wasn’t on my list for this season.
