Ravens' Geno Stone Unbothered By Pro Bowl Snub

Snubbed from the Pro Bowl Games, Baltimore Ravens ballhawk Geno Stone has earned self-vindication instead.

Pro Bowl voters had hearts of stone for Geno Stone.

Leading the AFC interceptions wasn't enough to convince fan voters to place one more Baltimore Raven in the upcoming all-star showcase, as Stone stands as one of the biggest snubs of the Pro Bowl Games roster released this week. 

Barring a Super Bowl run, the Ravens (13-3) will send seven players to the Pro Bowl, which will engage in a series of skills competitions and field day-style events in lieu of a traditional game for the second straight season. Blocks of events will be held on Feb. 1 and 4 in Orlando.

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Fellow Charm City secondary staple Kyle Hamilton will be going to Disney World but Stone was not invited despite a breakout as a ballhawk. Other AFC safeties making their way south include Minkah Fitzpatrick (Pittsburgh) and Justin Simmons (Denver).

"I thought I was going to make it," Stone admitted on Thursday, per Clifton Brown of the Ravens' official site. "I thought I did enough, especially leading the AFC in interceptions and leading the league for half the year. I'm happy for the other guys on our team who made it, especially Kyle and (linebacker Patrick Queen)."

"I know my time will come. People around the league are noticing what I do." 

The fourth-year defender, a seventh-round pick in 2020, has enjoyed a breakout season to the tune of seven interceptions, the most by any Raven since Ed Reed had eight 13 years ago. 

Together with Reed (five times) and Rod Woodson (1997), Stone is one of only three Ravens to swipe three through the air. He's also the first with at least seven to be denied Pro Bowl entry since New England's J.C. Jackson in 2020. Pro Football Focus also determined that opposing quarterbacks have a 48.3 passer rating when targeting receivers covered by Stone, also tops in the conference. 

Stone is perfectly fine if he doesn't have the approval and confidence of Pro Bowl voters. He's more than comfortable with having earned it from the most brutal critic of all: himself.

"(This season has) shown me who I can be in this league," Stone said in Brown's report. "I feel like I finally belong. I feel I belong in that conversation to be one of the best safeties in the league. I'll just keep proving it every day in practice and on Sundays."

Geno Stone's Run At History

Time will tell if Stone is able to get the interception lead back, as he's currently trailing Dallas' DaRon Bland by one. The Ravens have nothing to play for in their Week 18 finale, which welcomes in Pittsburgh on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN).