Seahawks’ Leonard Williams is a Pro Bowl snub no more

It took longer than it should have, but Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams has been given the honor he should have received weeks ago – he’s headed to the Pro Bowl.

Seattle Seahawks hire Klint Kubiak as new OC

The 30-year-old Williams was named an NFC replacement on Monday for Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter, whose Eagles will be readying for the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Pro Bowl Big Cat‼️@leonardwilliams has been added to the NFC #ProBowlGames roster.

Read More 📰 » https://t.co/6anhzC24lL pic.twitter.com/RtDSCticiG

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 27, 2025

Williams put together a campaign worthy of Defensive Player of the Year consideration, so he was a pretty egregious snub from the Pro Bowl when the initial rosters were announced on Jan. 2.

The 6-foot-5, 300-pound USC product had his best season in his 10 years in the NFL, logging 11 sacks, 28 QB hits, 64 total tackles, and a career-high 16 tackles for loss. He also tied his career-best marks with 37 solo tackles, three passes defensed and an interception, and that pick was especially notable as he returned it 92 yards for a touchdown – the longest pick-six in recorded NFL history by a player of 300 pounds or more.

🚨 BIG MAN PICK-SIX ALERT 🚨

Leonard Williams takes it to the house! 👏 pic.twitter.com/9ouYPeJdv3

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 1, 2024

Williams is now a two-time Pro Bowler, as he previously received the honor in 2016, his second year in the NFL with the Jets. Williams was drafted No. 6 overall in the first round by New York in 2015.

Following the initial Pro Bowl roster reveal earlier this month, Williams called his snub “pretty disappointing.”

“I feel like I definitely deserved it this year, but I’m happy for the guys that made it,” Williams said to reporters on Jan. 2. “They equally deserved it. That’s why they’re in the Pro Bowl.”

From December: Leonard Williams playing at “all-time elite level”

Williams was named an alternate at the time.

Leonard Williams with the big @Seahawks sack on 3rd down!

📺: #SEAvsLAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/DprdFwWr0D

— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2025

The Seahawks now have two players on the official Pro Bowl roster, with Williams joining cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who made the Pro Bowl for the second time in as many seasons in the league.

Williams joined the Seahawks during the 2023 season in a trade from the New York Giants, coming to Seattle in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. It was the second time in his career that he was dealt ahead of the NFL’s annual trade deadline in October, as he was previously sent from the Jets to the Giants in 2019.

The Seahawks re-signed Williams last offseason to a three-year contract worth a reported annual salary of $21.5 million.

The 2025 Pro Bowl Games will take place in Orlando from Jan. 30 through Feb. 2, beginning with the Skills Showdown at 4 p.m. Thursday airing on ESPN. The Pro Bowl Games Championship is set for noon Sunday and airing on ESPN and ABC. For more info on the Pro Bowl Games format, click here.

Seattle Seahawks coverage

• 24 numbers that sum up the Seahawks’ 2024 season
• Seahawks and Huskies who Pete Carroll could bring to Vegas
• Next challenge for DK Metcalf: a famous baking TV show
• Bump: Two ways the next Seahawks OC can help Geno Smith
• Daniel Jeremiah: Why a Seattle Seahawks rebuild wouldn’t make sense

Related

Seahawks Roster Tracker: Keep up on the cutdown to 53Seahawks officially sign Terrion Arnold amid CB’s legal issuesRecap: Seahawks tie 9-9 with Chiefs in preseason finaleWhat stood out from Seahawks’ preseason finale vs ChiefsNew Seahawks owner Vinod Khosla responds to criticism of his football tiesStacy: The 3 biggest Seahawks questions between now and Week 1