Ben Roethlisberger Unhappy With Steelers' "Mind-Blowing" 2025 Pro Bowl Snubs

The Pittsburgh Steelers had three players announced to the Pro Bowl team for the 2025 season on Tuesday. Defensive back Jalen Ramsey, special teams ace Ben Skowronek, and linebacker TJ Watt were voted to the Pro Bowl Games, continuing a strong tradition of individual recognition in Pittsburgh. While the Pro Bowl no longer carries the same weight it once did, it remains an honor that players, teams, and fans still celebrate.

There is often plenty of controversy surrounding how Pro Bowl voting is conducted. Many pundits believe fans have far too much influence, which can lead to rosters that don’t always reflect the best talent in the league. On top of that, some players openly admit they have little interest in participating, further fueling debate about the process. Either way, being named to the Pro Bowl is still viewed as a significant accolade, and this marks the 25th straight season the Steelers have sent multiple players to the Pro Bowl roster.

As usual, however, discussions about notable snubs quickly followed the announcement. Former Steelers iconic quarterback Ben Roethlisberger addressed the topic on his podcast Footbahlin on Tuesday night, expressing frustration over two omissions. Roethlisberger believes pass rusher Alex Highsmith deserved a Pro Bowl nod and also felt kicker Chris Boswell was unfairly left off the roster, adding more fuel to an already active debate among Steelers fans.

"I probably would put Alex Highsmith in there," Roethlisberger said while speaking about the Steelers’ Pro Bowl snubs on Tuesday afternoon. "Obviously, I would add [Chris] Boswell. I don’t know. I don’t understand how that happens."

There’s a small case to be made for Highsmith technically, but it sounds a bit far-fetched that he would have beaten out anyone else who made the Pro Bowl. What hurt Highsmith the most was the fact that he has had to miss four games in the 2025 season so far due to injury.

The other big snub is clearly Boswell. Many Steelers fans view him as the best kicker in the NFL, yet Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker made the roster over him. That didn’t make any sense to Roethlisberger, who was vocal about his frustration with the selection.

"It’s mind-blowing, he’s an All-Pro and the best in the league," Roethlisberger said. "The kicker in Dallas is very good, [Brandon] Aubrey. Those are the two best kickers. Now I need to go look at who it was, but that is just mind-blowing to me."

There are always players who should have made it, or at least have a strong case, that get left off. That’s just the nature of the hyper-competitive NFL.

Every season, voters have to weigh countless standout performances, often debating statistics, impact on games, and overall consistency. Some players quietly dominate their positions without receiving the same attention as bigger names, while others benefit from hype or media coverage, making the selection process as much about perception as pure performance. Also, many fans complain that the Pro Bowl fan voting is just a popularity contest.

More Steelers Could Still Earn Pro Bowl Invite

This doesn’t mean more Steelers players won’t earn an invite. Sometimes players back out due to injury, not wanting to go, or because their team is playing in the Super Bowl.

There’s still a chance more Steelers could appear in the game, but one thing is clear: only three players made the official Pro Bowl roster.

Do you agree with Roethlisberger that these two Steelers players should have made the Pro Bowl? Did anyone else get snubbed from the roster? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

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