Two Falcons Named To Pro Bowl; Cordarrelle Patterson Snubbed

The NFL made its Pro Bowl announcements on Wednesday night. Did the 6-8 Falcons get any recognition?

The Atlanta Falcons have experienced a somewhat up-and-down season in 2021. But for long snapper Josh Harris and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts it's been all ups - topped now by being voted into the Pro Bowl.

One notable omission from the Pro Bowl list is running back Cordarrelle Patterson, who has scored a career-high 10 touchdowns this season. Patterson, a four-time Pro Bowler as a return specialist is a first alternate in that category. Other alternates include kicker Younghoe Koo, fullback Keith Smith, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and defensive back A.J. Terrell.

Cordarrelle Patterson is a first alternate as a return specialist. PK Younghoe Koo and FB Keith Smith are second alternates, and DT Grady Jarrett and DB A.J. Terrell are fourth alternates.

— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) December 23, 2021

The NFL made its Pro Bowl announcements on Wednesday night, and the 6-8 Falcons - while, like every other team surely feeling that somebody may have gotten snubbed - are, after all, in third place in their division, are not a contender, and, as much as new bosses GM Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith hate the concept, are in a rebuilding mode.

That's especially true because this organization's two most likely Pro Bowl types from a year ago, receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, aren't here anymore, Jones working his way to an offseason trade to the Titans and Ridley presently away from the team while dealing with mental health concerns.

But the Falcons surely do have players who are top-of-mind when it comes to the public's selection process, and they surely also have guys who are capable of being top choices of players' and coaches voting. (Each segment counts one-third toward the total vote.)

That recognition will come in time ... and it will come with more wins.

The 2022 Pro Bowl will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on February 6, 2022, and is set to take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.