One Chiefs player who can ‘do it all’ is being overlooked in Pro Bowl voting

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When you think of the Kansas City Chiefs roster, many names immediately come to mind in the All-Pro conversation.

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones have all put together dazzling careers and earned the honor of being named the best players at their positions before.

In 2023, though, Kansas City’s cover game has been spectacular, and one player in particular has made them a formidable unit against the pass.

L’Jarius Sneed is in his third NFL season and deserves to be up there with the very best at his position.

Sneed’s Story

After 14 games, the Louisiana native leads the Chiefs with 13 passes defended, two interceptions, a fumble recovery, and 72 tackles, eight for losses.

He’s done all of that against the best receivers the NFL has to offer.

Last year’s Offensive Player of the Year, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown, and Stefon Diggs, have all had some of their lowest statistical games this season when facing Sneed.

Those are all marquee receivers considered the best at their position, not just on their teams but in the NFL.

Of all those players, the best statistical performance came from Tyreek, who had eight catches for 62 yards, well below what he usually puts up.

Sneed’s gone toe-to-toe with the best and done what few cornerbacks in the league can do: shut them all down with none of those players registering a touchdown versus the Chiefs corner in 2023.

His teammate Trent McDuffie, who’s having a pretty spectacular season, says that in his book Sneed should be an All-Pro.

“He can do it all,” added McDuffie. “He can bail. He can press. He’s long. He’s jamming guys and keeping them at the line of scrimmage. I think he’s having an All-Pro season.”

Chris Jones, a former All-Pro who could be in that mix again, fully agrees with McDuffie.

“He has been following around the best receivers,” said Jones.

“He has been doing it consistently throughout this year… and holding his own. That just speaks to his game.

“It’s not just a week thing. He has been doing it the whole season.”

Low Man on the Totem Poll

For everything Sneed’s done in 2023, though, it doesn’t seem to be making a big impact in Pro Bowl voting.

Earlier this month, NFL insider Tom Pelissero broke down some of the leading vote-getters for the 2024 Pro Bowl.

Sneed was way down in the cornerback voting at #9 behind the Cowboys’ DaRon Bland and Miami’s Jalen Ramsey.

Those numbers may have changed, but nonetheless Sneed should’ve been higher up even then.

For many like myself, that seems rather unfair given the Sneed’s putting together in 2023, but perhaps it’s no surprise.

Ramsey and Bland are good for soundbites and highlight-reel plays like pick-sixes.

Just doing your job well, like Sneed’s does is great but doesn’t get the fans off their seats.

Speaking of that Travis Kelce leads all vote-getters in the tight end category, while Jones is leading in the AFC defensive tackle voting.

What might work in Sneed’s favour is that All-Pro voting is journalists who decide rather than fans.

It would be rather bizarre to see Sneed be an All-Pro and not get chosen to the Pro Bowl

That, however, appears to be where things are going.