The NFL have announced the rosters for the first-ever Pro Bowl Games with Philadelphia Eagles leading the way with eight selections.
The league announced rosters for the NFC and AFC on Wednesday. Players from both conferences will compete in week-long skills competitions culminated with a flag football game on Sunday 5 February, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Kansas City and Dallas each had seven players chosen for the Games. San Francisco and Baltimore are next with six. Only two teams — Jacksonville and Chicago — aren’t represented on the initial rosters.
Joining Hurts from the Eagles (13-1) are wide receiver A.J. Brown, running back Miles Sanders, right tackle Lane Johnson, center Jason Kelce, left guard Landon Dickerson, linebacker Haason Reddick and cornerback Darius Slay. Hurts, Sanders, Dickerson and Reddick are first-timers. It’s Kelce’s sixth, Slay’s fifth and Johnson’s fourth. Sanders and Reddick were selected as backups.
Patrick Mahomes is the AFC’s starting quarterback. Josh Allen and Joe Burrow are his backups. Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith are backing up Hurts.
Smith is a first-time pick in his 10th season in the NFL. He’s the first quarterback since Rich Gannon (1999) to earn his first Pro Bowl selection in Year 10 or later of his career.
Trent Williams, the 49ers’ left tackle, was chosen for the 10th time. Aaron Donald became the first defensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons. He’s the only representative from the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angels Rams (4-10).
Miami’s Tyreek Hill was selected to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl, joining A.J. Green as the only wide receivers to earn Pro Bowl honours in each of their first seven seasons.
Twenty-five of the 88 players selected are first-timers, including rookie cornerbacks Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets and Tariq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks. It’s the second time two rookie cornerbacks made the initial Pro Bowl roster. The first occurred in 1982 when Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and Everson Walls made it.
Saquon Barkley is the NFC’s starting running back. Sanders and Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard are the backups. Nick Chubb is the AFC’s starting running back. Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs back him up.
The NFC’s starting wideouts are Brown and Justin Jefferson. CeeDee Lamb and Terry McLaurin also made the squad. The AFC’s starting receivers are Hill and Stefon Diggs.
Davante Adams and Ja’Marr Chase also made the roster.
George Kittle starts at tight end for the NFC and T.J. Hockenson made the team after a midseason trade from Detroit to Minnesota.
AFC starting tight end Travis Kelce made the team for the eighth time. Mark Andrews backs him up.
The roster selections were determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches.
