'Pretty Disappointing': Seahawks DL Leonard Williams Frustrated By Pro Bowl Snub

Despite ranking among league leaders in several major categories starring for the Seahawks, Leonard Williams somehow didn't make the Pro Bowl roster.

Dec 15, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) celebrates after a defensive play against the Green Bay Packers during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Considering the diminished value of the Pro Bowl over the past decade and change, including scrapping the full padded all-star game in 2022, Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams has tried to exercise indifference after being passed over in voting year after year.

After all, why does being named to a Pro Bowl roster when there isn't a game and the voting process has been shown to be a popularity contest time and time again actually matter?

But despite those efforts of detachment, after learning that he had not been selected for the Pro Bowl roster on Thursday, Williams can't help himself but to be aggravated. Even if the honor has lost much of its luster, it still carries significant weight on a resume, and missing out again following arguably the best season of his 10-year NFL career left the veteran dismayed while speaking with reporters from the locker room prior to Thursday's practice.

"It's pretty disappointing, if I'm being honest," Williams said. "There's been another year I had in the league where I had like double digit sacks and didn't go to the Pro Bowl and after that year, I pretty much told myself it's all fluff and fan voting and stuff like that, so I pretty much tried to trick myself into thinking it doesn't matter."

In prior seasons, aside from when he produced a career-high 11.5 sacks for the Giants in the aforementioned 2020 season, Williams hasn't always had the gaudy stats that often come with Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. He also played for perennially poor teams in New York, only appearing in the postseason once in his first nine seasons, which hurt his chances of receiving deserved recognition.

But even with the Seahawks being eliminated from the postseason last week, the franchise will be guaranteed to win at least nine games and touting a stat line to match, Williams has not only been one of the best defensive linemen in the league this year, but his impact has been as substantial as any defender in the NFL.

Entering the final week of the 2024 season, "Big Cat" leads all defensive tackles with nine sacks and ranks second with 15 quarterback hits. He also already has produced a career-best 15 tackles for loss, a 92-yard interception returned for a touchdown, and per Pro Football Focus, his 52 quarterback pressures ranks eighth at his position group, showcasing the dominant all-around season he has turned in leading Seattle's much-improved defense.

While his former teammate Dexter Lawrence also registered nine sacks for the Giants before going down with an injury, Williams' overall numbers are vastly superior to Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea, the other two Pro Bowl selections for the NFC who have combined for 10.5 sacks between them and have significantly fewer quarterback hits.

Williams wasn't upset about Lawrence, Carter, or Vea earning Pro Bowl spots, respecting the production and talent of all three players. But at this stage of his career, being snubbed for the ninth time in 10 seasons undoubtedly hit harder than it has in the past, and based on his numbers alone, he has every reason to be disgruntled about not adding a second one to his resume.

"Being older, year 10, I'm thinking about legacy and what I'm leaving behind and things like that more often and I feel like these big accolades like Pro Bowl and All-Pro and stuff like that play a big part in what type of legacy you are leaving behind. I feel like I definitely deserved it this year.

"But I'm happy for the guys who made it. They equally deserved it. That's why they're in the Pro Bowl."

Named one of five Pro Bowl alternates for the Seahawks, Williams likely will be added to the roster in coming days with Lawrence sidelined by an injury and Carter playing in the postseason. Some players would be okay with such an arrangement, grateful for such consideration.

But in the case of Williams, after being passed over so many times in the past when he felt deserving of being named among the NFL's best at his position and playing at Defensive Player of the Year levels this season, he miffed at the notion of backing into the event only because of others being unable to participate on Thursday. With a chance to break his own personal sack record against the Rams on Sunday coupled with the rest of his incredible stat line, he can't accept receiving the shaft this time around.

Ironically, after failing at trying to be oblivious to Pro Bowl voting, caring too much this time around may have finally pushed Williams beyond his breaking point.

"I mean, honestly, I don't care at this point. It's possible because the Eagles are going to the playoffs and Jalen Carter is one of them and Dexter is hurt and things like that. But to be honest, it's frustrating being an alternate."

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