NFL Releases Full Pro Bowl Rosters, Three Former LSU Tigers Appear
The NFL has officially released rosters for the 2022 Pro Bowl and like any other year, LSU has multiple players who will be participating.
The Tigers will have three total players, including Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Cincinnati receiver Ja'Marr Chase and Kansas City safety Tyrann Mathieu. Chase will join Jefferson as the second straight LSU receiver from that historic 2019 team to make the pro bowl as a rookie.
Drafted by the Bengals at No. 5 overall in this year's draft, Chase has been one of the breakout young players this season, leading the league in yards in one on one coverage. For the season, Chase has caught 61 passes for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns, though he has slowed off in recent weeks.
On a short list for offensive rookie of the year, Chase has picked up that chemistry with former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow right where the pair left off. The duo promises to be one of the more dynamic ones in the league for years to come, helping lead the Bengals back into the playoff conversation this season. Burrow was also named an alternate for the pro bowl as well.
As for Jefferson, the second year receiver for the Minnesota Vikings is once again putting up video level numbers in 2021, hauling 89 catches for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns with still three games to go in the regular season. With 2,735 career yards in two seasons, Jefferson needs just 21 more to surpass fellow LSU alum Odell Beckham Jr. for the most yards by a receiver through two seasons.
Jefferson's 1,400 yards in 2020 is the most by a rookie during the Super Bowl era. He also caught 88 passes as a rookie in 2020, surpassing Randy Moss in Vikings history for the most receptions by a rookie receiver.
Mathieu will earn his third pro bowl appearance and second straight with the Chiefs as he continues to be one of the elite safeties and playmakers in the game. He's recorded 65 tackles, three interceptions and recovered two fumbles for the Chiefs this year, who currently stand at the top of the AFC.
A Super Bowl champion two years ago with Kansas City, Mathieu is also currently leading the Walter Payton Man of the Year voting for his work with helping underprivelged children through his own charity the "Tyrann Mathieu Foundation."
LSU is always well represented in the pro bowl and there are plenty of more names who could sneak their way into the game as alternates down the line.
