FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell was recently honored as the Atlanta Falcons' club winner for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. It's a testament to his achievement in the Atlanta community in which he was raised.
There's another achievement Terrell can earn this season, however, one that would serve as a testament to his impact on the team for which he plays. As surprising as it may be, the former first-round pick has never earned a spot in the NFL's annual Pro Bowl, despite emerging as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He's got a case to change that this year.
Voting for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games has begun. Let's take a closer look at why Terrell deserves a vote.
Where he ranks
It's difficult to find stats that effectively tell the whole story of a cornerback's value. For example, a low number of targets is a positive indicator of a corner's abilities and a sign quarterbacks around the league respect that player enough not to throw in his direction. With fewer targets, however, a cornerback has fewer opportunities for splash plays like interceptions or pass breakups. This particular positional quirk makes it challenging to provide a snapshot with just a few stats, but many of Terrell's marks stand out among his peers.
If fewer targets are a telltale sign of respect, then it's clear just how highly quarterbacks think of Atlanta's No. 1 corner. Terrell has been targeted 35 times through Week 13, which is the fewest among NFC cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps this season. He is also No. 1 in receptions allowed and yards allowed among that group with 20 and 200, respectively. Terrell has given up just 0.6 yards per snap in coverage through 13 weeks, tied for the fewest in the conference.
Standout stat
Although he doesn't have an interception, Terrell is also one of only two NFC corners with at least 300 coverage snaps to not allow a touchdown in his coverage. In fact, he has played the most coverage snaps in the NFC without giving up a touchdown.
Best game in 2025
There are a few good candidates from this season, but Terrell's performance in Atlanta's thrilling Week 6 win against the Buffalo Bills stands out. Terrell shadowed Buffalo's No. 1 receiver, Keon Coleman, a good bit in that game and gave up just two catches on four targets. Those two catches resulted in 8 yards, though, and Terrell got a hand on the other two incompletions to log a pair of pass breakups. Not a bad day in coverage against the reigning league MVP.
Quote from locker room
"I love going against A.J. He's a dominant player. He does make it very difficult." — Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney
How to vote now
Fans can cast a vote for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games on AtlantaFalcons.com, NFL.com or on X by using #ProBowlVote and the name of the player. Fan voting will close at midnight on Dec. 16, and rosters will be revealed in early January. On the final two days of the voting period — Dec. 14 and 15 — all votes cast on X will count double toward a player's total.
