Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith has revealed he thought he had been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl, only to find out he missed out.
Smith called it a “slap in the face” that no Miami Dolphins players made the AFC roster.
The tight end was one of four Dolphins stars to finish in the top 10 in fan votes for their respective positions. But players and coaches also have a say in who makes the final selection.
And ultimately, Chiefs star Travis Kelce and Raiders rookie Brock Bowers were selected among the tight ends in the AFC.
On Thursday, Smith spoke about his negligence. When asked if he thought he would make it, the 29-year-old said: “I thought so.”
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been recognized for a respectable honor,” said Smith, who leads Kelce in receiving yards, touchdowns, yards per reception and catch percentage.
Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith has revealed he thought he was selected to the Pro Bowl
Smith leads Chiefs star Travis Kelce in receiving yards, touchdowns and yards per catch
“Congratulations to all the boys who made it, it was well deserved. I guess that’s just how these deals work, man.”
Smith was less diplomatic about the failure of a single Dolphins player to make the AFC roster.
Fullback Alec Ingold, special-teamer Siran Neal and kicker Jason Sanders all finished in the top 10 of fan votes.
“I definitely felt like this was a slap in the face – I thought a few guys definitely deserved it,” Smith said.
“At the end of the day, we play this game to win championships. And pro bowls, that’s the extra that comes with it. So at the end of the day, we’ll laugh about it for a few minutes, but we’ve got work to do this weekend.”
The 8-8 Dolphins still have a slim chance of reaching the postseason ahead of this weekend’s season finale against the New York Jets.