Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has firmly established himself as a playmaker for the Jacksonville Jaguars in his first NFL season. But despite his heroics in 2024, the rookie sensation wasn't deemed worthy of a First-Team designation in the 2025 Pro Bowl games.
The NFL announced its roster for the 2025 version of the Pro Bowl games. While punter Logan Cooke and long-snapper Ross Matiscik will represent the Jags, Thomas was nowhere to be seen. Granted, the former LSU Tiger, along with pass rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen made the cut as alternates. However, that doesn't carry as much weight as getting a First-Team designation.
Thomas' omission in the Pro Bowl was most definitely noticed. Kevin Patra of NFL Media included the rookie receiver in his list of snubs, pointing out that he might've been hurt by the fact that he played for the 4-12 Jags.
"Maybe Thomas suffered from a bias against rookies. Maybe it was playing all those forgettable games in Jacksonville. Maybe voters had already made up their minds before Thomas exploded down the stretch. Whatever the reason, Thomas was overlooked despite stacking numbers as a clear-cut No. 1 WR. "
Patra goes on to say that Thomas' 1,153 yards through Week 17 are more than all the other Jaguars receivers combined. Add the fact that he's mostly catching passes from Mac Jones in the second half of the season, and it's puzzling to see Thomas get snubbed.
Jaguars legend Fred Taylor, for his part, was also surprised about the Thomas omission, arguing that the process must be rigged.
Brian Thomas Jr. not making the Pro Bowl proves that the selection process is and has always been flawed. FIX IT!!!
— Fred Taylor (@FredTaylorMade) January 2, 2025
Now, the issue of saying that a player should have made it in favor of another is always a controversial topic. After all, you're making the case that whoever missed the cut was worthy, and whoever took his place wasn't. This begs the question, which receiver should've been left out in favor of Thomas? J'Marr Chase, Nico Collins, Jerry Jeudy, and Zay Flowers earned the nod for the AFC.
Of the bunch, Chase most definitely deserves the selection, as he's on pace to win the NFL's triple crown (lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns). Conversely, you can make the strong case that Thomas was more deserving than either Jeudy or Flowers.
After all, Thomas has a better yard-per-catch average and touchdowns than both Jeudy and Flowers. On the other hand, Collins might've had a better year, from a statistics perspective, than his rookie counterpart if he hadn't suffered a series of ailments that ended his season prematurely.
Despite the snub, Brian Thomas Jr. was a bright spot for the Jaguars in 2025
As disappointing as it is to watch Brian Thomas Jr. be snubbed from the 2025 Pro Bowl games, the Jacksonville Jaguars are surely thrilled that he's getting consideration. Moreover, he's just a rookie. If he keeps playing the way he did as a rookie, it will be hard for voters to ignore.
It's also worth noting that Thomas is just a rookie, so it's fair to assume that he still has room for improvement. Heck, head coach Doug Pederson believes the benchmark for the Louisiana native should be Justin Jefferson or J'Marr Chase, two of the NFL's top receivers.
Add the fact that Trevor Lawrence will return from injuries and will keep working on his connection with his No. 1 wideout, and it's easy to see Thomas making the Pro Bowl next year.
Does that lessen the disappointment of seeing Thomas being left out? Not nearly enough, but Jaguars fans should most definitely be hyped up about his future.