Voting for the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl was finalized on Monday evening and two Falcons players made the cut. Kicker Younghoe Koo was selected to his first career Pro Bowl and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett will be making his second consecutive appearance.
While both Koo and Jarrett rightfully deserved their places on the roster, did any Falcons players get snubbed?
The obvious choice that comes to mind is WR Calvin Ridley and when you look at his stats, he certainly does have a compelling argument. Despite ranking No. 11 in the NFC in total receptions, Ridley is third in the conference in receiving yards this season. Not to mention, Ridley is tied for second in the league in catches of 20 yards or more.
However, you also have to look at the four receivers selected over Ridley to understand why he was snubbed. Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, DK Metcalf and Justin Jefferson were voted into the Pro Bowl over the former Alabama star.
There is no denying that Metcalf, Adams and Hopkins should be placed ahead of Ridley. You could certainly make a case for Ridley over Jefferson, who’s having a great year but is a rookie.
Ridley has a higher yardage total, more receptions and above Jefferson in almost every major receiving statistic. Jefferson has eclipsed 100 yards six times, while Ridley has seven.
So if Jefferson doesn’t have better numbers, then why was he selected over Ridley?
It’s as simple as fanfare surrounding an up-and-coming star receiver, coupled with the fact that the Falcons’ offense has been an embarrassment. Ridley is just a casualty of the team’s dysfunction. In addition, Jefferson did break the Vikings single-season reception record that was previously held by Randy Moss.
So on paper, Ridley did put up better numbers. However, the difference in production between the two receivers isn’t big enough to cover the media attention that Jefferson has gotten — and deservedly so.
