Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith a Pro Bowl alternate, but was he snubbed?

Three Pro Bowl quarterbacks on Tuesday were named to the AFC roster for next month’s game, and the Chiefs’ Alex Smith wasn’t among them, to the disbelief of wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

“Is this even a question right now?” Hill said. “Yes, I do feel like Alex got snubbed and he is a Pro Bowl quarterback.”

Hill, named to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his two seasons in the NFL, went a step further.

“Obviously, he’s a Hall of Fame quarterback as a Chief. The stats are there. I feel like he did get snubbed. He’s a great player.”

Hill was named to the team as a return specialist, along with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and rooking running back Kareem Hunt. Five Chiefs were named alternates, including Smith, who is a first alternate.

The three quarterbacks named to the AFC squad were the Patriots’ Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers and the Chargers’ Philip Rivers — with Brady as the starter. If one of those players can’t (or chooses not to) play in the game, Smith will get the call.

Of course, Smith would rrather skip the Pro Bowl festivities and game in Orlando on Jan. 28 altogether. That would mean the Chiefs had won the AFC championship and were playing in the Super Bowl the following week.

“Hopefully, I’m not even playing in it,” Smith said.

But Smith, in his fifth season with the Chiefs, said he was thankful to be recognized. He was also a Pro Bowler in 2013 and 2016.

With Smith having his best statistical season this year, it appeared he’d be in line for a top-three spot. Smith is the NFL’s top-rated passer with a season rating of 105.4, which if it holds up would be the best mark of his 13-year career.

With two games remaining, Smith has already reached a career best in touchdown passes with 25 and holds the league’s top touchdown-to-interception ratio, at 5-to-1.

The Chiefs, who host the Dolphins on Sunday, are 8-6 and one victory away from clinching a fifth-straight winning record and fourth playoff berth in the Smith era. Two of their victories have come against the Chargers and Rivers.

Smith, who with last weekend’s victory over the Chargers moved into second place on the Chiefs’ list of career triumphs by starting quarterbacks (49), has started all but two games for head coach Andy Reid during his five seasons in Kansas City.

Like Hill, Reid believed Smith was deserving of a top-three Pro Bowl vote.

“Listen, I’m a big fan of his,” Reid said. “I would tell you, sure, I thought he should have been in. But that’s neither here or there. It doesn’t matter what I say. He sure has had a great year.”

Smith told reporters on Wednesday that he was unaware when the team was being announced.

“There are a lot of good players,” Smith said. “I’m pumped for the guys on this team that did make it. I’m humbled to be first alternate. There are a lot of good quarterbacks there.”

Still, Hill called it a snub, and although he was happy to make the team in any capacity, he wanted to do so as a wide receiver. Hill is an alternate at that position, having compiled 69 receptions for 1,074 yards (15.6 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns.

The AFC’s Pro Bowl receivers are Antonio Brown of the Steelers, DeAndre Hopkins of the Texans, A.J. Green of the Bengals and Keenan Allen of the Chargers. Brown and Hopkins are starters, Green and Allen reserves.

“I was definitely upset,” Hill said. “I made the Pro Bowl, and that’s good. But I feel like I made the transition to make the Pro Bowl as a receiver. That was one of my goals at the beginning of the year.”

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith a Pro Bowl alternate, but was he snubbed?."