Denver Broncos safety TJ Ward has revealed that he was bemused to see himself and teammates Aqib Talib and Chris Harris left off NFL Network's Top 100 players list.
Ward and Talib fell off the list - which is voted for by players from around the league - after being named 79th and 82nd respectively for the 2014 season, while Harris continued to be absent despite being named a second-team All-Pro.
The 28-year-old has revealed that he and his teammates now have a point to prove in the 2015 campaign to ensure they are acknowledged by their colleagues next year.
"I was talking to [Aqib] Talib about the upcoming season and how they left all three of us off the Top 100, so we have a little chip on our shoulders," Ward told The Denver Post.
"We didn't appreciate that. And that's from our peers."
The Broncos were ranked ninth in passing defense in the 2014 campaign.