Anatomy of a snub: How does a legitimate DPOY candidate get left off a Pro Bowl roster?
Allen Park — The Detroit Lions had seven players selected to the Pro Bowl on Thursday, the most for the franchise in the Super Bowl era. They’ve had seven before, but not since the 1964 season, when the league consisted of just 14 teams.
There are no surprises from the list of Lions named to the NFC's roster. Quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, offensive tackle Penei Sewell, center Frank Ragnow, safety Brian Branch and punter Jack Fox are all deserving.
What stands out is the omission. Other Lions players had cases, to be sure, but Kerby Joseph felt like a no-brainer, as much as any of his teammates who made the cut. It’s even more baffling when you consider the NFL’s league leader in interceptions led the fan balloting at his position, which accounts for a third of the selection process.
How does a snub like this happen? Well, we have some thoughts.