Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith revealed that he thought he had been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl, only to find out he had missed out.
Smith called it a “slap” that no Miami Dolphins player had made the AFC roster.
The tight end was one of four Dolphins stars to finish in the top 10 of fan votes for their respective positions. But the players and coaches also have a say in who is part of the final squad.
And in the end, Chiefs star Travis Kelce and Raiders rookie Brock Bowers were selected among the AFC tight ends.
On Thursday, Smith spoke out about his omission. Asked if he thought he would make the cut, the 29-year-old said: “I thought so.”
“It's the first time I've received a respectable honor,” said Smith, who leads Kelce in receiving yards, touchdowns, receiving yards and catch percentage.
Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith revealed he thought he was selected to the Pro Bowl
Smith leads Chiefs star Travis Kelce in receiving yards, touchdowns and receiving yards.
'Congratulations to all the boys who did it, they deserved it. I guess that's how these deals work, man.
Smith was less diplomatic about the failure of a single Dolphins player to make the AFC roster.
Fullback Alec Ingold, special teamer Siran Neal and kicker Jason Sanders finished in the top 10 of fan voting.
“I definitely felt like it was kind of a slap in the face; I felt like some guys probably deserved it,” Smith said.
'At the end of the day, we play this game to win championships. And pro bowls, that's a bonus that comes with it. “So at the end of the day, we'll laugh about it for a few minutes, but we have work to do this weekend.”
The Dolphins (8-8) still have a slim chance of making the postseason before this weekend's season finale against the New York Jets.