Williams, Smith-Njigba added to Pro Bowl Games

Big Cat and JSN are going to Disney World.

Well, sort of.

Leonard Williams and Jackson Smith-Njigba have been added to the Pro Bowl games, which will be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 2.

Williams, the Seattle Seahawks’ 310-pound defensive end, takes the place of Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who will be busy preparing for the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The MVP of that game will get to utter the phrase “I’m going to Disney World,” which is also located in Orlando.

Smith-Njigba, a second-year receiver who tied Seattle’s franchise record with 100 receptions this season, fills the spot for Washington’s Terry McLaurin, who will miss the event due to injury.

Williams and Smith-Njigba join Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was named to the original Pro Bowl roster.

Williams appeared to be one of the biggest — literally and figuratively — snubs of the Pro Bowl Bowl game rosters. Williams recorded 11 sacks during a 10-7 season that saw the Seahawks just miss the postseason — plus a 92-yard pick-six that helped the Seahawks beat the Jets on Dec. 1.

A dominant force in the middle of a Seahawks defense, Williams received a Pro Football Focus grade of 87.1 — fourth in the NFL and second in the NFC among interior defenders. His 11 sacks ranked 10th in the NFL, though Williams was tops among interior players.

Williams was disappointed about being left out when he spoke to the media earlier this month.

“It’s pretty disappointing if I’m being honest,” Williams said. “… I feel like I definitely deserved it this year, but I’m happy for the guys that made it,” Williams said. “They equally deserved it. That’s why they’re in the Pro Bowl.”

Smith-Njigba finished the season with 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns for a Seahawks offense that struggled at times this season.

This story originally appeared in seattlesportsnow.com, of which Aaron Coe is a co-founder. Follow Coe on X: Coe_Aaron