Linval Joseph finally makes the Pro Bowl

It took long enough, but Big Goon is finally going to the Pro Bowl. With Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald dropping out, Linval Joseph has been named to his first Pro Bowl, which will be held on January 29 in Orlando this year.

Since arriving in Minnesota in 2014, Linval Joseph has been one of the unsung heroes of the Vikings defense under Mike Zimmer. His impact on the field doesn’t always blow up the stat sheet, but few defensive tackles in the league pass the eye test better than Joseph. He’s a constant problem up the middle and can clog up the best laid plans of opposing offensive coordinators. He is the best interior lineman the Vikings have had since the days of the Williams Wall.

That’s not to say that Joseph didn’t make any impact on the stat sheet this season. He tied a career high with four sacks, forced three fumbles, and had 37 tackles to go with 40 assisted tackles. While line mate Sharrif Floyd missed all but one game this season, Joseph started all 16 games for the Vikings in 2016. Joseph is still only 28 years old so he should be a force in the middle of the Minnesota defense for years to come.

Linval has been hungry for a Pro Bowl for a long time now...

...and now that he finally made it, we’ll agree to just forget about that time he tried to get that 328-pound frame over the line on a short field goal against the Colts.

Congratulations to Linval Joseph on the honor of making the Pro Bowl! It was long overdue in the minds of many football fans and analysts.