Falcons DB Bates, OL Lindstrom Earn All-Pro Honors

The annual NFL All-Pro teams were revealed by the Associated Press, and right guard Chris Lindstrom and safety Jessie Bates III of the Atlanta Falcons were named to the second team. In the vote among safeties, Bates came in third, while Lindstrom placed second among right guards. Atlanta’s only two Pro Bowl selections this season came from the pair as well. Both players were just outside of the starting lineup; Bates was defeated by Baltimore Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton and Tampa Bay Bucs’ Antoine Winfield Jr., while Zack Martin, the right guard for the Dallas Cowboys, defeated Lindstrom.

Bates received 107 votes, 29 of which were first-team votes, while Winfield recorded 109 votes, 30 being first-team. Hamilton had a more comfortable margin, logging 119 votes overall and 37 first team. He was named first-team All-Pro by the NFLPA on Wednesday.

Comparably, Lindstrom garnered 78 votes, with 21 going to the first team; however, Martin received 80 and 23, respectively, and went on to win first place. Each player has been named to the second team of the All-Pro team for the second time. As a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, Bates was honored in 2020, and Lindstrom was added to the list for the first time the previous season. This spring, the Falcons made significant investments on Lindstrom and Bates, awarding Lindstrom a five-year, $105 million deal and placing Bates as the fourth highest-paid safety in the NFL with a four-year, $64.5 million contract.

Both players delivered, and their success merely reflects the value they brought to the Falcons’ locker room this season. Bates was Atlanta’s leading tackler with 132 total and made six of the team’s eight interceptions. He also had three forced fumbles, a trio of tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with 11 passes defended. Lindstrom earned an 87.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, allowing only three sacks, two quarterback hits and 15 total pressures in 16 games.

Bradley Pinion, who ranked fifth among punters, was the only other Falcon to garner any votes. Out of six votes, two were for the first team. See Also: The Initial Round of Head Coach Interview Requests for the Falcons After losing the season finale on the road to the New Orleans Saints 48-17, Atlanta concluded the season at 7-10 and dismissed head coach Arthur Smith.

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