These three Minnesota Vikings players should have been selected for the 2021 Pro Bowl roster.
While the Pro Bowl is a fun way to celebrate the Minnesota Vikings players and other standouts around the NFL who play exceptionally well throughout the season, the process for selecting individuals to fill the rosters is a questionable practice at best. Sometimes, great players slip through the cracks, and those who deserve recognition fail to get in.
For the players, this can be even more frustrating. Not only is earning a Pro Bowl selection a great honor for them, but many players’ contracts include bonus incentives for those who are named to the roster. And money is a great motivator for anyone, even the wealthy.
In the past, there have been some baffling inclusions among those picked for the rosters. However, this year’s results found wide receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Dalvin Cook as the only two Vikings players included on the NFC roster.
Minnesota had more players that were worthy of being included and honored this year, but somehow they didn’t get voted in. Let’s look at three other members of the Vikings roster that were snubbed by the voters for the 2021 Pro Bowl.
Harrison Smith – S
Snub Level: Moderate
The secondary for the Vikings has taken some big lumps this year. After the team moved on from their experienced cornerbacks this offseason, many young players had to step in and produce for the team.
This left Harrison Smith to be the team’s veteran and leader in the secondary. He has played that role well, starting in all 14 of Minnesota’s games so far this season. However, he’s gained some negative media attention this year due to an ejection for a helmet-to-helmet hit and a penalty for lowering his helmet to initiate contact.
Despite the bad press, Smith has already been to the Pro Bowl five times in his career. This year’s absence is a head-scratching one, but the safety has never been one to measure success by accolades. Still, his statistics are more than worthy of inclusion.
Through 14 games this season, Smith has racked up 72 total tackles with 42 of them being solo. He also has nine pass breakups, five quarterback hits, four interceptions, two tackles for a loss, and half a sack.
Adam Thielen – WR
Snub Level: High
When it comes to consistent greatness, it’s hard to look past Adam Thielen. The Vikings receiver is a crisp route-runner with great hands, he has a great work ethic, and he’s worked his way from undrafted free agent to becoming an NFL superstar.
It’s hard to believe that Thielen has only been to two Pro Bowls in his career, with those coming in 2017 and 2018 when the pass-catcher broke the 1,000-yard mark in each of those seasons. However, one could argue that the veteran receiver has enjoyed an even better performance this year.
While he only has 771 yards in his 13 appearances this season, his 13 receiving touchdowns are good for third among all pass-catchers in the NFL behind only Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs and Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers.
How he didn’t end up getting voted into the 2021 Pro Bowl is a mystery. But fans of Minnesota likely aren’t among those who failed to appreciate the role Thielen has taken on for the team this year, especially in the red zone.
Eric Kendricks – LB
Snub Level: Extremely high
The fact that Eric Kendricks wasn’t named to the 2021 Pro Bowl this year is an absolute travesty. The linebacker was absolutely dominant on the field before being sidelined by a calf injury after Week 12.
In his 11 weeks of play, Kendricks was on an absolute tear, accumulating 107 combined tackles with 69 of those being solo. To put that in perspective, last year the linebacker had 110 combined tackles with 70 solo in 15 games, and he earned a Pro Bowl selection as well an All-Pro First Team nod.
Kendricks has shined in more than just his tackling though. He has a career-high three interceptions this season and he also has six pass breakups during a season that has found him dropping back into coverage more than rushing the passer.
Did the injury come at a bad time? Are there actually linebackers more worthy of a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl roster this season? There is no reason that should have prevented Kendricks from being honored with a Pro Bowl nod this year.
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Do you agree that these three players were Pro Bowl snubs this season? Or did these Vikings stars deserve to be left off the NFC roster this year? Let us know your opinion in the comments section.