Dan Campbell 'Shocked' By Reshad Jones 2016 Pro Bowl Snub
By Abraham Gutierrez
On Wednesday, Dan Campbell and the Miami Dolphins met with media members following team practices, as the Fins prepare to host the Indianapolis Colts in the penultimate game of what has been a tumultuous 2015 NFL season. With not much left to play for on the year, much of the talk was about 2016 Pro Bowl snubs.
In particular, everyone in the organization seems to be unhappy about one player being excluded from the annual trip to Hawaii: Reshad Jones. Becoming one of, if not the biggest "Pro Bowl snub" this year, the Dolphins safety certainly has the numbers.
"I was shocked," Campbell said. "I thought he would get in. He's a hell of a player. I thought he put up good numbers. He's been consistent all year."
Jones comes into Week 16 leading all NFL safeties in tackles with 125, and is tied for second in interceptions at his position with 5 picks. Nevertheless, the sixth-year man out of Georgia was chosen as an alternate in case Eric Berry (Arizona Cardinals), Kam Chancellor (Seattle Seahawks) and/or Charles Woodson (Oakland Raiders) aren't able to go.
"I probably won't play in it at this point, because it's funny to me," Jones said prior to Wednesday's practice session. "My numbers are crazy, outright better than all those guys. I shouldn't have to be an alternate. So I don't want to play the game as an alternate player."
Understandably, Jones and Campbell weren't the only ones in the Fins' locker room willing to express their discontent. Selected to play in his third (consecutive) Pro Bowl, center Mike Pouncey is not only Miami's lone representative in Honolulu this season, but also did not hesitate to offer his two cents.
"I feel so bad for Reshad," he said. "I know he's the best safety in the NFL. For him not to make it is very disappointing. I told him when I got off the phone with him earlier I wish I could give him my Pro Bowl nod. I felt he's the guy that deserved it more than anybody on our football team and through the NFL the way he's played."
In a season that will go down as one of the biggest disappointments in NFL history, Jones has been one of the Dolphins bright spots. He's started in all 14 games and has played his heart out in every possession, tied for the league-lead with two pick-sixes.
"It's obviously a popularity contest," Jones added. "They just picked the popular guy or whoever made it last year or however it goes. We can't be going off play and production because my numbers double all those guys numbers."
Another Dolphin player snubbed from the Pro Bowl was defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The former Lion, who had the made the cut in each of the last three seasons (and in 2010), joins Jones as a 2016 alternate.
"He was another guy that deserved to get in," Campbell. "I thought that he was productive all year, very productive. He was a force. And for a defensive tackle he did about all that you can do."
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.
