Eight Eagles stars lined up for big games
LOS ANGELES: The Philadelphia Eagles, who currently hold an NFLbest 13-1 record, had a league-high eight players selected for the Pro Bowl Games, the replacement for the Pro Bowl contest, in Las Vegas.
The NFL revealed the complete rosters on Wednesday, with Philadelphia having six players designated as starters.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver AJ Brown, offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson and cornerback Darius Slay were chosen as starters.
Philadelphia outside linebacker Haason Reddick and running back Miles Sanders were picked as reserves.
The Dallas Cowboys (10-4) and Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) tied for the next-most selections with seven apiece, followed by the Baltimore Ravens (9-5) and San Francisco 49ers (10-4) with six picks each and the Minnesota Vikings (11-3) with five.
Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes is the AFC’s starting quarterback. It is his fifth straight Pro Bowl selection after throwing for 4,496 yards and 35 touchdowns through 14 games, while Hurts (3,472 yards, 22 touchdowns) is the starter for the NFC in his first-ever appearance.
Last year’s Super Bowl participants, the champions Los Angeles Rams and the runner-ups Cincinnati Bengals, combined for just four choices, with defensive lineman Aaron Donald being the Rams’ only selection.
It is the ninth straight Pro Bowl nod for Donald, who has been limited to 11 appearances and just five sacks for the 4-10 Rams.
In September, the NFL scrapped its traditional Pro Bowl game in favour of several different, smaller events, headlined by a flag football game on Feb 5.
Emphasising flag football is a deliberate step by the NFL.
The Pro Bowl has gone through several changes designed to spark increased interest among viewers and participants.
It was introduced in 1951 in Los Angeles, but it became rooted in NFL tradition as a destination game when it was anchored in Hawaii from 1980-2009.