Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat was the only NFC player with double-digit sacks not to get a Pro Bowl invite. That did not sit well with the eight-year veteran.
“I’m upset because there’s only two individual things that you can get, and it’s Pro Bowl and All-Pro,” Sweat said Wednesday, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. “And I got one taken away from me. I’m just flat out saying it was taken away from me -- and it ain’t the first time.”
Sweat has tied his single-season high with 11 sacks, which he also had in 2022 with the Eagles, and he has four forced fumbles. He signed with the Cardinals in free agency this offseason, reuniting with Jonathan Gannon and Nick Rallis after two seasons with them in Philadelphia, and has had his best season despite the Cardinals’ lack of success.
“It’s like I don’t know what else I could have done at that point,” Sweat said. “I don’t know what else I could have done. Now previous years, maybe you could have said he didn’t have the popularity, maybe he didn’t get the fan vote. This year, I was second in fan voting [at outside linebacker] for [the] NFC. It’s like, what else did they want me to do? The popularity was there. You could say losing team. It didn’t matter; I had the popularity.”
Giants linebacker Brian Burns and Rams linebackers Byron Young and Jared Verse were the Pro Bowlers selected at the position.
Sweat called it “frustrating” to not be recognized for his play this season.
“The fans said, ‘He should be the guy; we want him in.’ My play showed that I should be in,” Sweat said. “But somewhere, some popularity within the league said that he shouldn’t be in. I just want to know if I’m crazy. The only double-digit NFC guy to not make it. All they do is wave a player card in your face, like, ‘Go vote. Look at the sacks and forced fumbles.’ But you on a hotter team or your team losing or whatever; I ain’t really trying to hear none of that. I just want what I earned and what I worked for.”
Sweat was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2021 but got called up when 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa was injured.
Cardinals Clips
The Cardinals activated defensive lineman L.J. Collier from injured reserve on Wednesday as his 21-day return-to-practice window expired. He would have finished the season on injured reserve if the Cardinals hadn’t moved him back onto the active roster.
He returned to practice Dec. 3.
Collier landed on injured reserve after injuring his knee in a Week 2 game against the Panthers.
He takes the roster spot of rookie defensive tackle Walter Nolen III, who went on IR this week with a knee injury.
Collier, who is in his third season with the Cardinals, missed most of 2023 on IR after an injury in Week 1. He played all 17 games in 2024, totaling 3.5 sacks.
The Cardinals also announced they signed quarterback Logan Woodside to the practice squad. He replaces quarterback Jeff Driskel, who signed with the Commanders’ active roster this week.
Driskel will serve as the third quarterback in practice behind Jacoby Brissett and Kedon Slovis.
The team released safety Patrick McMorris from the practice squad to make room.
The Cardinals have added a second kicker to their active roster.
The team announced on Tuesday that they have signed Joshua Karty off of the Rams’ practice squad. They also signed cornerback Kalen King off of Carolina’s practice squad. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen and cornerback Garrett Williams were placed on injured reserve in corresponding moves.
Karty was 10-of-15 on field goals and 23-of-26 on extra points before the Rams replaced him with Harrison Mevis earlier this season. Chad Ryland has been the Cardinals’ kicker and remains on the roster despite missing six field goals in the team’s last six games.
King was a 2024 Packers seventh-round pick and he appeared in one game for the Panthers this season.
The AFC and NFC rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games were announced on Tuesday morning.
Votes from fans, coaches and players were used to select the teams. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce led the fan vote and was named to his 11th Pro Bowl. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and Bears safety Kevin Byard were the other leaders in that vote, but Williams is not on the initial NFC roster.
Chargers tackle Joe Alt did make the AFC roster despite playing in only six games before being shut down with an ankle injury.
Three teams — the Jets, Saints and Vikings — have no Pro Bowlers. The Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, and Seahawks each had six players selected.
The Pro Bowl Games will be held in San Francisco on February
The full rosters appear below with starters indicated by an asterisk.
AFC
Quarterback: Josh Allen*, Buffalo Bills; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Running back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; James Cook, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Taylor*, Indianapolis Colts
Fullback: Patrick Ricard*, Baltimore Ravens
Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase*, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins*, Houston Texans; Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens; Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders*; Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive tackle: Joe Alt*, Los Angeles Chargers; Garett Bolles*, Denver Broncos; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Offensive guard: Quinn Meinerz*, Denver Broncos; Quenton Nelson*, Indianapolis Colts; Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Center: Creed Humphrey*, Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive end: Will Anderson Jr.*, Houston Texans; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Myles Garrett*, Cleveland Browns
Interior linemen: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Chris Jones*, Kansas City Chiefs; Jeffrey Simmons*, Tennessee Titans
Outside linebacker: Nik Bonitto*, Denver Broncos; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Inside/middle linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans; Roquan Smith*, Baltimore Ravens
Cornerback: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots; Derek Stingley Jr.*, Houston Texans; Pat Surtain II*, Denver Broncos; Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Free safety: Jalen Ramsey*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton*, Baltimore Ravens; Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
Long-snapper: Ross Matiscik*, Jacksonville Jaguars
Punter: Jordan Stout*, Baltimore Ravens
Place-kicker: Cameron Dicker*, Los Angeles Chargers
Return specialist: Chimere Dike*, Tennessee Titans
Special-teamer: Ben Skowronek*, Pittsburgh
NFC
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford*, Los Angeles Rams; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs*, Detroit Lions; Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk*, San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua*, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba*, Seattle Seahawks; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Tight end: Trey McBride*, Arizona Cardinals; George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive tackle: Penei Sewell*, Detroit Lions; Tristan Wirfs* Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive guard: Tyler Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thuney*, Chicago Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Center: Drew Dalman*, Chicago Bears; Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive end: Aidan Hutchinson*, Detroit Lions; Micah Parsons*, Green Bay Packers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks
Interior linemen: Jalen Carter*, Philadelphia Eagles; Leonard Williams*, Seattle Seahawks, Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Outside linebacker: Brian Burns*, New York Giants, Jared Verse*, Los Angeles Rams; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
Inside/middle linebacker: Jack Campbell*, Detroit Lions; Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Cornerback: Jaycee Horn*, Carolina Panthers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Free safety: Kevin Byard III*, Chicago Bears; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strong safety: Budda Baker*, Arizona Cardinals
Long-snapper: Jon Weeks*, San Francisco 49ers
Punter: Tress Way*, Washington Commanders
Placekicker: Brandon Aubrey*, Dallas Cowboys
Return specialist: Rashid Shaheed*, Seattle Seahawks
Special-teamer: Luke Gifford*, San Francisco 49ers
It looks like yet another Cardinals player has suffered a major injury.
Per NFL Media, Williams is feared to have torn his ACL during Sunday’s loss to the Falcons.
Williams, 24, is in his third year with the Cardinals after he was selected at No. 72 overall in the 2023 draft. He’s started 10 games this year, recording five passes defensed with one interception and a forced fumble.
In all, Williams has played 35 games with 27 starts, recording 16 passes defensed with four interceptions.
Falcons running back Bijan Robinson turned in a big game today in Arizona, totaling 16 carries for 76 yards and seven catches for 92 yards in a 26-19 win over the Cardinals.
It was a meaningless game in the playoff race, as both teams were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention before today’s game. But it was another opportunity for Robinson to make the case that he is the best running back in football.
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 21 of 35 passes for 197 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed 16 of 31 passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Falcons defensive back C.J. Henderson sealed the win with a diving interception of a Brissett pass as the Cardinals attempted a comeback with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons’ win improves their record to 6-9, while the Cardinals’ loss drops their record to 3-12.
Cardinals defensive end Walter Nolen, the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, suffered what looked like a serious knee injury today against the Falcons.
Nolen was carted to the locker room and the Cardinals quickly announced that he had been ruled out for the rest of the game.
It’s been an ugly game on the injury front for the Cardinals. Defensive lineman Josh Sweat is out with an ankle injury, and defensive back Budda Baker is currently being checked for an injury.
The Falcons lead the Cardinals 19-16 in the third quarter.
Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. plans to return from the heel injury that has kept him from playing in the last two games, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely healthy.
Harrison said he’ll “probably” play injured the rest of the season, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.
Given that the Cardinals are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, it’s fair to ask whether it’s smart for them to let their talented young receiver play injured for three games that don’t mean anything to the future of the franchise. The Cardinals took Harrison with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and when you make that kind of investment in a player, you don’t want him to let an injury at the end of one year turn into something that affects him into the following year.
Harrison said he does think he’ll play on Sunday against the Falcons, but he doesn’t know how big his role will be in the offense.
“Yeah, we’re going to see,” Harrison said. “And whatever my role is, come Sunday, I’m going to do my best to star in my role, help the team win, make the plays if they come to me and just whatever I can do to help the team at this point.”
Helping the team win at this point is nice, but what the Cardinals really need is for Harrison to help the team win in 2026 and beyond.
The Falcons placed wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, the team announced.
Atlanta had already ruled out Hodge for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals after he didn’t practice all week.
Hodge earned Pro Bowl honors last season for his special teams play.
In 12 games this season, Hodge totaled three receptions for 31 yards on offense and nine tackles on special teams.
He played 10 percent of the Falcons’ offensive snaps and 72 percent of the special teams snaps in the games he played this season.
In a corresponding move, the Falcons signed safety Jammie Robinson from the practice squad to the active roster. He has played 57 special teams snaps in three games this season.
Cardinals tight end Trey McBride is on pace to finish this season with more catches than any tight end has ever had in a season in NFL history.
McBride has 105 catches through 14 games, putting him on pace to finish the season with 128 catches, an NFL tight end record.
The current record for tight ends is 116, set by Zach Ertz of the Eagles in 2018.
McBride had 111 catches last season, and his 216 catches over the last two years are the NFL record for catches by a tight end over a two-year stretch.
