FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and right guard Chris Lindstrom ware named to the NFC Pro Bowl team Thursday, when the NFL released the teams on NFL Media.
Hodge was named as a special-teams player. He recovered a ball in the end zone for a touchdown in the 26-24 win over the Saints earlier in the season. He also has tipped and blocked punts. He’s also plays a key role on the coverage teams.
“If I can contribute any type of way, that’s a blessing,” Hodge said. “I said earlier, I like to call myself, and the guys like to tease me, when I call myself the Swiss Army knife. I do everything. Punt, punt return, kickoff. I’m making tackles. I catching balls. I try to do everything.”
It was the third consecutive selection for Lindstrom.
“Just really grateful,” Lindstrom said Thursday. “Really appreciative. Just thankful to be a part of a great room, a great line with everybody in our unit because if we didn’t have a good unit, you wouldn’t get individual honors.”
It hasn’t been an easy road for Hodge, who played in the Southwestern Athletic Conference at Prairie View A&M. The Falcons are his fourth team. He’s played with the Rams, Lions and Browns.
This is his third season with the Falcons. He carved out a niche on special teams.
“I came from an HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities),” Hodge said. “Just to get it out of the mud, you’ve got to wake up with that mindset that I’m going to get it out of the mud every day. Take advantage of every opportunity whether it’s on (special) teams or on offense. You just have that mindset to not quit because adversity is going to hit.”
It was Lindstrom’s third consecutive year being named to the Pro Bowl team.
“There’s always guys on your team that you feel like are worthy,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “We’ve got a great selection panel, and how we do it. I love the way the NFL does it, but you sit here every single week and you can put (running back) Bijan (Robinson) in anybody’s Pro Bowl. You can go Red (Hodge) in the special-teams Pro Bowl. You can go Chris Lindstrom in any Pro Bowl.”
Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, cornerback A.J. Terrell, linebacker Kaden Elliss and Robinson are having strong seasons and were considered strong Pro Bowl candidates.
“I mean, you can name a numerous amount of people on our football team,” Morris said. “Bates and different people that have done things throughout the course of the season, Drake (London)’s got his first 1,000-yard season (receiving), but probably won’t be there yet just because of the receiver numbers.”
Bates are Robinson were in the top 10 in the fan voting.
“You can name a bunch of people that have played at really high levels on the football team throughout the course of the season that could potentially do some of those type of things,” Morris said. “I’m just thinking special teams, some of the plays that Zach Harrison has made, some of the plays that Red’s made, just all the different things of that nature.
“You just never know. It’s always an honor when those guys have an opportunity to go be a part of anything Pro Bowl related, and that’s always pretty cool for the guys.”
Robinson and Bates were named first alternates. Elliss and kicker Younghoe Koo were named third alternates. Outside linebacker Matthew Judon was named a fourth alternate and center Drew Dalman, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and Terrell were named fifth alternates.
“Drew is phenomenal,” Lindstrom said. “Everything starts with him. Every run that we ever do is all started with Drew. He gets it started. He’s a very good player. It’s been very cool to see his journey the last four years.”
The NFL will return to Orlando, Florida, for the second consecutive year, as the league’s best players compete in the 2025 Pro Bowl games. The event will be a multiday AFC vs. NFC competition culminating with a flag game Feb. 4 at Camping World Stadium. The players will compete in skills challenges Feb. 1.
