The New Orleans Saints were shut out from Pro Bowl roster. Players like Chris Olave Demario Davis and Juwan Johnson are having strong campaigns, but it wasn't enough for an invite.
For the Saints, this is the second season in a row where they have not had a Pro Bowler on the initial roster. Like last season, the Saints could see a player get invited as an alternate.
Along with New Orleans, the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings did not have a player earn the honor. The Vikings are the most surprising, seeing that Justin Jefferson has been healthy. That just goes to show you how weird of a year it's been. However, there's still a chance for the three teams; as with the Super Bowl and end-of-season injuries, some replacements might be needed. That's how Rashid Shaheed, Erik McCoy, and Davis got there last year.
Saints placing culture over Pro Bowlers
When Kellen Moore was brought on by the New Orleans Saints, he probably had multiple priorites listed in front of "have a pro-bowl caliber player." For Moore, what's been important is establishing a foundation, and one that's made up of good character and good culture. Specifically, he's been trying to make December football mean something to the city again.
Moore has also acknowledged that while it's probably different than some people would hope it to be, the team is battling for each other, and they want to win all of the games. All season, really, Moore has been emphasizing the importance of playing meaningful football this time of year.
What matters right now is that the team wins in the right way, and thankfully, they are well on their way to doing so. Each week this season, even through the losses, the locker room vibes have gotten better and better each week. The vibes are so high right now that tight end Juwan Johnson has said this team has the best locker room he's ever had.
No pro bowlers? Oh well then, because right now that isn't the team's main goal. They want to establish a culture, and that takes priority over anything else. Maybe next year, it'll be a different story.