FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Two members of the Atlanta Falcons earned Pro Bowl honors, one from each side of the ball and with very different resumes.
Safety Jessie Bates III and offensive lineman Chris Lindstrom were chosen from the Falcons organization to play in the 2023 Pro Bowl games.
The NFL announced the NFC and AFC rosters late Wednesday night.
Bates' first-ever selection comes as no surprise, as he is having a career year in his sixth season. Bates has a standout stat line of three forced fumbles, six interceptions and 128 tackles – all of which are career-high marks. His most notable play has to be the 92-yard pick-six in the Falcons' Week 12 win over the New Orleans Saints.
The Falcons signed Bates back in the offseason from the Cincinnati Bengals, where he had played since getting picked in the second round of the 2018 draft.
Lindstrom, on the other hand, has been with the Falcons since the start of his career in 2019, when he was a first-round draft pick.
This marks Lindstrom's second Pro Bowl nomination. He earned his first career bid last season.
Being a guard, there aren't any flashy statistics that go along with the position. Lindstrom has, however, been a rather consistent rock on the right side of the Falcons' offensive front, taking 1,007 (99%) snaps in 15 games. There's only one other lineman who has taken more snaps – left guard Matthew Bergeron (1,068) – but that lineman has played in all 16 games. Lindstrom, meanwhile, missed the Falcons' Week 15 loss to the Carolina Panthers due to an ankle injury. So, on average, Lindstrom has seen the most field time within his group.
Lindstrom has also only been called for four penalties, three of which were enforced, during that time.
Pro Bowl selections were based on votes from players, coaches and fans. For the second year in a row, the games will operate in a new format over previous seasons. Instead of a tackle football game, there will be a flag football game scheduled for Feb. 4 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. And in the week leading up to the game, there will be skill competitions to highlight the players' athletic abilities.
The Falcons have now had 79 players since the Pro Bowl's inception in 1951.
