Turpin joins Sanders in a Pro Bowl filled with debatable selections. Did reputation and flash outweigh actual 2025 performance?
The 2025 season for the Dallas Cowboys was as inconsistent as they come under Brian Schottenheimer.
But some players stood above that inconsistency. Namely Dak Prescott, Brandon Aubrey, Quinnen Williams, and George Pickens.
Those four were named to the Pro Bowl after good seasons, but, as we know, the Pro Bowl over the last couple of years has lost its "shine," shall we say.
Now, following in Jake Ferguson's footsteps, All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin has been named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
Why?
Because Seattle Seahawks speedster Rashid Shaheed is now in the Super Bowl.
We have known for years that the Pro Bowl is a popularity contest, with several head-scratching decisions being made each year. ... and the best example of that is the selection of Cleveland Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders, who like Turpin is a late add to the festivities because other more qualified QBs are unavailable.
That's OK; it's all for show, anyway - and that goes for Turpin, too.
Yes, we like Turpin as a returner, and even receiver at times, but if we are being honest, there isn't an acceptable argument to be made that Turpin played at a Pro Bowl level in 2025.
In fact, you could make the case that this year was one of Turpin's worst.
We lost count of how many times he caught a ball when he shouldn't have, and perhaps the most glaring thing of all -- his use of assertive speed on his returns was lackluster.
Yes, you read that right.
Normally, we would see No. 9 hit the jets as soon as he fielded the kick, often scooting 30 yards upfield before being touched.
But this season, a more conservative approach saw Turpin jog out before getting tackled. Now, that could be coaching, or maybe something else.
And let's not forget his signaling for a fair catch, only to then try to return the kick, resulting in a flag, backing the offense up, and putting them in bad field position.
So much like Ferguson, we don't fully understand the rationale for naming Turpin to the Pro Bowl. Maybe it was purely on reputation.
Maybe the NFL wanted the flashiest players at the Pro Bowl Games to attract more eyes. ... which might explain adding a Cowboy and adding a Sanders.
Either way, Turpin is headed back to the Pro Bowl as an alternate, giving the Cowboys a total of seven players named after their horror 7-9-1 season.
Make of that what you will.