Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid took to X, formerly Twitter, on January 2 to publicly express his opinion regarding Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie not making the initial AFC Pro Bowl roster.
“Robbery… can’t stand Pro Bowl voting format,” Reid wrote in response to a post by Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports in which Schultz detailed the financial ramifications of McDuffie’s Pro Bowl snub.
“People consider the Pro Bowl a joke, and that’s fine. But the Pro Bowl affects players’ pockets, and that’s where it’s unfortunate when a player gets snubbed,” Schultz wrote. “For example, Trent McDuffie has never been selected to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot, so his fifth-year option is about $12.7M. If he had made one Pro Bowl, it would be $17.1M. If he had made two, it would be over $20M. It’s unfortunate for the players who are deserving.”
Trent McDuffie a Clear Snub from Pro Bowl Roster
The four cornerbacks selected over McDuffie for the AFC’s roster were Houston Texans‘ Derek Stingley, Denver Broncos‘ Patrick Surtain II, Baltimore Ravens‘ Marlon Humphrey, and Cleveland Browns‘ Denzel Ward.
According to Chiefs team reporter Matt McMullen, McDuffie was one of eight Kansas City players who were selected as alternates for the AFC’s roster.
McDuffie, 24, ranks third in PFF coverage grade among CBs who have played at least 80% of their respective team’s coverage snaps. He’s also allowing 60.7% of the targets thrown in his direction to be caught, which ranks fifth-best among CBs under the same criteria.
Player selections for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games are based on the combined votes of fans, coaches, and fellow players, with each group’s vote contributing equally, making up one-third of the final decision. Because of that, the results can oftentimes not fall in line with real-life results on the field. That was the case for McDuffie, who still doesn’t have a Pro Bowl nod on his NFL resume despite unquestionably being a top 2-3 CB in the AFC this season.
Pro Bowl Voting Continues to Drop the Ball
Users on X reacted to Reid’s post about McDuffie with their own opinions on the matter.
“Amen! McDuffie’s only crime is the constant trashing of the Chiefs by the media and other fanbases who claim that this team is nothing more than a farce,” one person wrote. “Prove them wrong and hoist the trophy yet again! God bless the Chiefs!”
“As a fan I have grown to not give a flip about the Pro Bowl,” another person wrote. “When Jeff Saturday got in a while back despite the fact that he got cut earlier in the year my mind was made up. Your guy will be First-Team AP no doubt.”
“Well sir, you are also very deserving too. I was expecting (hoping) for the defense to be more heavily represented,” another person wrote. “The defense has been the most exciting phase to watch all season. Takes me back to the days when we had Neil Smith, Derrick Thomas, Dale Carter… Rock’n Arrowhead.”
“It definitely should not impact a player’s contract when you let fans vote choose, based on who they like most,” another person wrote. “They could just pick people who have highest jersey sales in that case. If players aren’t chosen by how they do their jobs, it should not impact pay.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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