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Despite a tumultuous 4-9-1 season, the Indianapolis Colts have had one bright spot: their defensive line.
Defensive tackle Grover Stewart has been instrumental in the unit’s success. Despite putting up career-best numbers across the stat sheet, he was not voted into the newly-announced 2023 Pro Bowl Games, nor was he listed as an alternate on December 22.
Indianapolis is currently tied fourth with the Houston Texans for the most tackles for a loss per game in the NFL (5.43). Stewart has played a big role in that category, posting nine tackles for a loss — one more than Deforest Buckner and two more than Yannick Ngakoue, his defensive line counterparts who were each named Pro Bowl alternates.
The six-year NFL pro told The Athletic’s Zak Keefer he was ‘shocked’ about being excluded from the Pro Bowl.
Stewart’s Breakout Season
Stewart put up eye-popping numbers across the board in 2022.
His career-highs: 62 total tackles, four sacks, six quarterback hits, three passes defensed and one fumble recovery. Stewart’s nine tackles for a loss, also a career-high, are tied for the Colts’ team lead along with defensive end Kwity Paye and linebacker Zaire Franklin.
Stewart has also contributed on special teams by leading the team with two blocked field goals. One was significant, as his block on a Brandon McManus 34-yard field goal attempt was pivotal in preserving a tie game against the Denver Broncos on October 6. The Colts eventually pulled off a 12-9 overtime win.
One of Stewart’s best games was a 19-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans on October 23, when the Albany State alumnus recorded 12 tackles (seven solo) while playing 75% of the Colts’ defensive stats.
Indianapolis’ only Pro Bowl pick was offensive guard Quenton Nelson, who has been selected five times in a row. Nelson said Stewart is more worthy of a Pro Bowl selection than he is.
“I wish I could give my Pro Bowl to [Stewart] because he deserves it,” Nelson told Keefer.
Did the Colts Get Enough Recognition?
Big names like Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey were controversially left off the initial Pro Bowl roster, but the argument could be made that other Colts defensive players were snubbed as well.
The most notable is Buckner, who put up nearly identical stats to his 2021 campaign in which he was elected a Pro Bowl starter.
In 2022, Buckner has 6½ sacks, 60 combined tackles, three passes defensed, one forced fumble and a recovery — Pro Bowl-level numbers the Colts expect after exchanging a No. 13 overall pick for him in 2020.
Another player deserving of Pro Bowl recognition is Franklin. Franklin, who is a Pro Bowl alternate, ranks fourth in the NFL in tackles with 141. The 2018 seventh-round pick out of Syracuse had just 40 combined tackles in 11 starts last year.
Other Colts Pro Bowl alternates are the aforementioned Ngakoue as well as running back Jonathan Taylor and cornerback Stephon Gillmore. All five Colts alternates could still participate, but that’s dependent on Pro Bowl starters facing injury and Super Bowl appearances.
Considering the Colts led the league last season with seven Pro Bowl starters, just one selection in 2023 is indicative of the season they’re having.
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