Tag: Pro Bowl 2025

Pro Bowl snub cost Texans DE Danielle Hunter a nice bonus for 2024 season

Danielle Hunter missing the Pro Bowl might have cost him a bit of cash for 2024.

While Danielle Hunter might rank in the top three for sacks entering Week 18, the Houston Texans defensive end was not one of the three edge rushers selected for the AFC Pro Bowl roster.

Now, his paycheck is suffering the consequences.

According to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry, Hunter’s two-year contract with the included a $1 million bonus for making the Pro Bowl. He’s currently the first alternate behind Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett, Cincinnati Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson and Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby.

The voting isn’t entirely wrong since Garrett and Hendrickson have a case.

The AFC North duo are tied for the league lead in sacks with 14 apiece. Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, also ranks first in tackles for loss and third in QB hits with 28.

Fans have questioned the move of Crosby over Hunter. Not only is the four-time Pro Bowler from Minnesota healthy entering the final regular season game, his numbers outweigh Crosby’s on every level.

Hunter’s 13 sacks outgain Crosby’s 7.5 by nearly double.

His 17 tackles for loss are one more than Crosby’s 16.

And Hunter leads the league with 90 pressures, according to NFL’s Next Gen stats. Crosby? He’s only totaled 53.

While Crosby is likely to miss the game after undergoing ankle surgery, Hunter’s proven stats were worthy of a first-ballot nod. Time will tell if he opts in and gets a chance to earn the bonus as an alternate next month.

The Texans close out the 2024 regular season on the road against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on Sunday. Kickoff from Nashville is scheduled for noon CT.

Was Texans DE Danielle Hunter snubbed a Pro Bowl nod?

Even in a year where the Texans underachieved, Danielle Hunter lived up to expectations and played like a Pro Bowler.

Four Houston Texans players were named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster on Thursday morning.

Danielle Hunter, who’s closing in on a breakout first season down off NRG Stadium, wasn’t one of them.

Take nothing away from Derek Stingley Jr., who made history with his dominant month of December in coverage to break a Texans’ record.

Give credit where credit is due to Nico Collins, who was on pace to lead the NFL in receiving yards before suffering a hamstring string injury in Week 5 that sidelined him for a month.

Even Joe Mixon and Laremy Tunsil deserve their flowers. The veteran running back is seven yards away from being the first player since 2019 to rush for 1,000 yards in a Texans’ uniform.

Tunsil has been a staple in pass protection on a broken and beaten offensive line protecting C.J. Stroud.

But Hunter’s coronation as the ‘Houstonian Herculean Hulk’ shouldn’t go unnoticed. He enters Week 18’s regular-season finale ranked third in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss.

Only teammate Will Anderson Jr. has given him a run for the money in terms of top newcomer in the AFC over two seasons. He too must wait for someone to bow out before being called to Orlando after notching 11 sacks and 58 pressures.

The pass-rushing duo didn’t get the call like their teammates. Instead, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson and Las Vegas’s Maxx Crosby will represent the AFC defensive ends down in Orlando next month.

The voting isn’t entirely wrong since Garrett and Hendrickson have a case.

The AFC North duo are tied for the league lead in sacks with 14 apiece. Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, also ranks first in tackles for loss and third in QB hits with 28.

But Crosby over Hunter? Signs of “name over production” ring true for the All-Pro pass rusher, who likely won’t even play after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery.

Even going off name alone, Hunter’s been a stalwart in the league since his breakout season in 2017. He’s a sack away from becoming the 46th player in NFL history to hit the triple digits and the first Texan to accomplish the feat since three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.

Crosby finished with 7.5 sacks in 12 games. Hunter had eight QB takedowns by Halloween.

Crosby was better against the run, totaling 16 tackles for loss in a dozen games. Hunter needed two more games, but his 17 trumps Crosby’s by a lone stat.

And the four-time Pro Bowler from Minnesota also had 23 QB hits and a league-leading 90 pressures, according to NFL’s Next Gen stats. Crosby? He finished with 20 and 59, respectively.

Hunter will likely get the call because of opt-outs. He’s the first in line to replace one of the trio as an alternate entering the postseason. Given Crobsy’s injury status, that call should arrive before the Texans welcome the No. 5 seed to NRG Stadium next week.

Crosby’s persona as one of the league’s top defenders is well-documented. The same goes for Hunter and even a rising star like Anderson.

Sometimes, giving the nod to a player who intends to play tends to make the most sense.

Given Hunter’s numbers, it should have been a no-brainer.

8 Texans (including Danielle Hunter) named alternates for 2025 Pro Bowl

Danielle Hunter better be on call after being snubbed a Pro Bowl bid on Thursday afternoon.

Danielle Hunter might not be headed to Orlando on the initial wave of Pro Bowl votes, but he’s a phone call away from packing his bags to join his teammates.

So are five other Houston Texans players.

Hunter (first alternate), punter Tommy Townsend (first), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (second), quarterback C.J. Stroud (third), kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn (fourth), and defensive back Jimmie Ward (fourth), were named Pro Bowl alternates. They will be candidates to join the Pro Bowl roster if other players drop out.

The Texans saw four players named to the active AFC roster after promising seasons for the AFC South Champions. Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and wide receiver Nico Collins were first-time additions, while offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil notched his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl nod and second start.

Running back Joe Mixon, who’s seven yards shy of becoming the first Texans player since 2019 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, also was named to the Pro Bowl roster as a backup.

The 2025 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon will again include an International NFL Flag Championship Tournament featuring top youth teams from around the world, underscoring the NFL’s commitment to the global growth and accessibility of flag football ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

Taking place over two days in Orlando, Fla., the skills challenges will be broadcast live on Thursday, Jan. 30, on ESPN from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. CT and continue Sunday, Feb. 2, culminating in flag football.

4 Texans players make 2025 Pro Bowl roster

Derek Stingley Jr., Laremy Tunsil, Nico Collins and Joe Mixon are headed to Orlando.

Four Houston Texans players will represent the AFC South franchise one final time in Orlando later next month.

Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., wide receiver Nico Collins, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and running back Joe Mixon were all named to the NFL’s 2025 Pro Bowl roster, the NFL announced Thursday.

Stingley and Tunsil will start for the AFC team coached by Peyton Manning (Eli Manning coaches the NFC squad). The “Pro Bowl Games” feature several skills competitions leading up to a flag football game.

Houston also has six alternates named for the Pro Bowl, including defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.

Stingley, the former No. 3 overall pick in 2022, earned his right to compete in the Pro Bowl after a breakout campaign in coverage. He’s started all 16 contests, recording career highs in tackles (54), tackles for loss (four), passes breakups (18), while also tying a career-high with five interceptions. His five interceptions are tied for sixth-most in the NFL while his three in December alone are tied for first in the AFC.

Collins, a fellow first-time Pro Bowl honoree, was en route to lead the NFL in receiving yards after five games, but a hamstring injury sidelined him for a month. The fourth-year pro ranks fourth nationall and second in the AFC with 88.0 receiving yards per game. Collins is just 32 yards away from becoming the fourth wide receiver in team history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving campaigns.

Mixon returns to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career following a campaign that showcased him posting 240 carries for 993 yards with 11 scores on the ground while adding 35 receptions for 304 yards with one additional touchdown in 13 starts. He is the only player league-wide to accumulate 1,200 yards from scrimmage in each of the last four seasons.

Tunsil should have real estate property when it comes to the Pro Bowl since this marks his fifth appearance. Now named a starter in back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances, Tunsil has not surrendered a sack since Week 1 and currently holds the fourth-best pass-blocking grade (89.0) in the league.

The 2025 Pro Bowl Games will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Feb. 2. The NFC defeated the AFC 64-59 last season.

At least 3 Texans are poised to make 2025 Pro Bowl thanks to fan votes

Houston Texans defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter seem destined to hit the Pro Bowl in two months.

Fan voting for the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games has concluded and the NFL has released a list of the players that finished in the top ten at their respective positions.

The Houston Texans had six players finish in the top ten at their positions during the vote, including two players who finished top-five

  • Danielle Hunter: 3rd in votes at defensive end (3rd in AFC)
  • Will Anderson Jr: 4th in votes at outside linebacker (4th in AFC)
  • Derek Stingley Jr.: 8th in votes at cornerback (4th in AFC)
  • Joe Mixon: 10th in votes at running back (3rd in AFC)
  • Tommy Townsend: 3rd in votes at punter (1st in AFC)
  • Ka’imi Fairbairn: 6th in votes at kicker (4th in AFC)

Based on the fan voting alone, Hunter, Townsend, Mixon and Anderson should be considered locks to represent the AFC in Orlando come February. Given the potential opt-outs from other teams, Fairbairn and Stingley should be favorites as alternates.

Fans account for one-third of the Pro Bowl voting process, with players and coaches making up the other two-thirds. Based on that logic, Stingley might be a lock after shoring up an All-Pro third year as coverage.

The Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Jan. 2. The 2025 Pro Bowl Games will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Feb. 2.

The Texans close out the 2024 regular season at Nissan Stadium this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.