When Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat walked into the Halas Hall conference room, he seemed to know something was up.
Sweat beamed as he sat next to general manager Ryan Poles at the conference table, which was surrounded by defensive coaches. Head coach Matt Eberflus stood at the front of the room in front of a video screen and told Sweat that the staff wanted to help him find more effective ways to rush the passer.
But it was January 3 and only the last game of the season remained. A game video played for a few seconds before an image of Sweat appeared on the screen with the words “Pro Bowl.” Sweat leaned back in his chair with a big smile before standing up and shaking Poles’ hand and hugging Eberflus as the other coaches applauded.
“I was really speechless,” Sweat said. “I am lucky to get my first appointment.
“It means a lot. Something every player aspires to achieve. I’ve worked a long time to get to this point.”
For some players, making the Pro Bowl is nothing new. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, for example, who was named to his 10th Pro Bowl (Thursday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN; Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN).
But then there are guys like Sweat and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, former first-round picks who will make their first Pro Bowls in their fifth and fourth seasons, respectively. Or New Orleans Saints returner Rashid Shahid and Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper Ross Matiscik, who went undrafted but made it in their second and fourth seasons, respectively. And Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, who finally got it in his ninth.
Being a Pro Bowler for the first time is something special for each of them. Here are his thoughts on finally getting on the board.
Montez Sweat helped turn the Bears into the league’s best rushing defense, averaging 86.4 yards per game. John Fisher/Getty Images
Experience: Johnson 4 seasons, Sweat 5
Key stat for Johnson: According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Johnson held opposing receivers to 5.0 yards per target as the closest defender in 2023. That was the third-best mark among DBs with at least 50 targets, behind only Kyle Hamilton of Baltimore (4.2) and Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns (4.6).
Johnson is a pending free agent, so making the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro could be a good springboard for contract negotiations.
Editorial Selections
2 Related
“It’s special that God has blessed me with the opportunity and favor to be selected to my first Pro Bowl,” Johnson said. “I am grateful for all those who have played a role in my success, because when I win, we all win.”
The Bears made the same telling joke with Johnson, who was just as suspicious as Sweat.
“I knew something was wrong,” Johnson said. “They tried to call me early for an exit interview and Flus was talking about watching games, going over game film and going over the game plan.
“I thought, I guess it’s too late in the year to try to do different things. I knew something was up.”
Key stat for Sweat: He is the only player since 1982, when sacks became an official statistic, to lead two teams in sacks in the same season. He had a 6.5 with the Washington Commanders before being traded on October 31, and posted a 6.0 with the Bears.
Experience: 4 seasons
Key Stat: Led all long snappers with eight special teams tackles (all solo) and was also the only long snapper to force and recover a fumble in 2023. Has more tackles than any other long snapper (16) since He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
Matiscik, who has never had a bad play in his career, is the sixth special teams player in franchise history to make the Pro Bowl and the first long snapper. For a change, he doesn’t mind the attention.
“If they say your name, it’s probably not a good thing,” he said. “So it’s a little strange to get the attention. Every time I switched to long snapper [de apoyador en la universidad] I knew I would give up the chance to hear my name on television. It’s definitely cool that it’s heard this way.
“I kind of dreamed of being here one day and working towards it, but it’s a real feeling that ‘I’m going to the Pro Bowl.’ Making plans for travel arrangements and my parents’ hotel room and all that kind of stuff. things is a little surreal. I think I’ll really understand it [y] It will hit me every time I interact with the players and notice other names that are there with me.
Raheem Mostert is 31 years old and finished his ninth season, but he led the league in rushing touchdowns with 18. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
Experience: 9 seasons
Key Stat: 1,012 rushing yards and league-leading 18 rushing touchdowns; 21st overall, tied with Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers for most in the NFL
Mostert missed 24 games in 2020 and 2021 due to knee and ankle injuries, but while sitting at a friend’s house on Thanksgiving Day 2022, he made a prediction he wasn’t entirely sure he believed.
Although he was not under contract with an NFL team beyond the 2022 season and would turn 31 in the spring, Mostert said he would make the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career in 2023.
“I had just come back from knee surgery and I didn’t really have a lot of confidence in myself,” he said on his “Relentfully Motivated” podcast. “I mean, I had confidence in my abilities, but I didn’t have confidence in the fact that I was still dealing with the knee injury, the knee surgery, the procedure — everything that comes with it.
Super Bowl XLVIII on Star+!
You can enjoy Super Bowl XLVIII between the 49ers and Chiefs live on Star+. Subscribe NOW!
“And so, I took it upon myself to move forward and set goals that are achievable, be a Pro Bowler and do everything I can to help the team win and put numbers on the board and score touchdowns. That was my goal last year, and he came this year with that attitude.”
Complied, fulfilled and fulfilled.
Mostert had 1,187 yards from scrimmage to help the Dolphins reach the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
That Mostert hit his stride at age 31, when most runners are in the final stages of their career, is not taken lightly.
“I’ll always be the underdog,” he said. “It’s okay. If you’re not the favorite, accept it. Don’t listen to what others say. You set your own standard.
“That’s something I really believe in. I was able to set my own standard this year.”
Experience: 4 seasons
Key Stat: Queen’s 133 tackles in 2023 were the most of his career and produced 18 pressures. Since he entered the NFL in 2020, Queen is one of three players with at least 400 tackles and 50 pressures in that span, along with Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Demario Davis of the Saints.
Queen said it took him a couple of days to recover from the euphoria of learning he had made his first Pro Bowl, because he felt so honored that his teammates believed he was one of the best players in the league.
Queen, whom the Ravens selected 28th overall in 2020, recorded a career-high 133 tackles and had six pass deflections, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for a defense of the Ravens who limited opponents to a league-low 16.5 points per game.
“Honestly, it was mind-blowing,” Queen said on the Ravens’ “The Lounge” podcast. “It’s not the same as praise, a trophy or something like that. It’s more that people around me notice. People from other teams, coaches from other teams, fans notice what I’m doing.
“That’s the biggest part.”
Rashid Shaheed made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist, but he also caught five touchdown passes. Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Experience: 2 seasons
Key Stat: Shaheed was one of four players, and the only one in the NFC, with 300+ punt return yards (339) and 300+ kick return yards (384).
As an undrafted free agent out of Weber State, Shaheed’s main focus in 2022 was finding a way to make the roster. He didn’t even think about the Pro Bowl.
Hearing his name called as a Pro Bowl return specialist in just his second year was almost overwhelming, especially when he thought about how far he had come so quickly.
“I appreciate everyone who voted, everyone who contacted me, tons of love from family, friends and teammates,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
As a rookie, Shaheed was the Saints’ primary kick and punt returner and caught 28 passes for 488 yards and two touchdowns. This season, he was third in the NFL in punt return average (13.6) and had a 76-yard touchdown return and averaged 21.3 yards per kickoff return.
He also caught 46 passes for 719 yards and five touchdowns.
“It’s been a crazy ride and a ride I wouldn’t change at all,” Shaheed said. “After starting off injured and all the trials and tribulations I went through, I’m grateful to be at this point I’m at now. I truly never dreamed I’d be here.”
2024-02-01 21:50:00
#Pro #Bowl #stars #share #meaning #invitation
