Baltimore sends 12 to Pro Bowl, ties league record
Twelve Baltimore Ravens, including secondyear quarterback Lamar Jackson, and seven New Orleans Saints, highlighted by league-leading receiver Michael Thomas, have made the Pro Bowl.
Baltimore tied the record for Pro Bowl players set by Miami in 1973. The NFL released the rosters Tuesday night for the game in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 26.
Joining Jackson from the Ravens, who at 12-2 have the league’s best record, are tight end Mark Andrews, long snapper Morgan Cox, cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, running back Mark Ingram, linebacker Matthew Judon, fullback Patrick Ricard, tackle Ronnie Stanley, safety Earl Thomas, kicker Justin Tucker, and guard Marshal Yanda.
Thirty teams had at least one player selected, and 24 clubs had multiple players chosen. The New York Giants and Miami Dolphins failed to get any Pro Bowlers. Players on the two Super Bowl teams will withdraw from the Pro Bowl and be replaced.
Twenty-five of the players selected made it for the first time, including three rookies: San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa, Kansas City return specialist Mecole Hardman and New Orleans return specialist Deonte Harris.
The Pro Bowl coaching staffs will be from the losing teams in the AFC and NFC divisional playoffs with the best regularseason records.
Other AFC quarterbacks are Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and the Texans’ Deshaun Watson. The NFC quarterbacks are Drew Brees of New Orleans, Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay and Russell Wilson of Seattle. retaining general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia for the 2020 season. The team made the announcement Tuesday, ending speculation about the franchise’s plans with Quinn and Patricia.
Detroit hired both away from New England in hopes of replicating the Patriots’ formula for success and it has not worked out yet for the Lions.
Quinn was hired in 2016 and Detroit was 9-7 in the regular season for two straight years under Jim Caldwell. Quinn fired Caldwell and hired Patricia after the 2017 season because he wanted a coach who could take the team to another level.
Patricia has done that, but the direction has been down. The first-time head coach is 9-20-1 over nearly two seasons.
Detroit (3-10-1) has lost seven in a row — for the first time in seven years — with injured quarterback Matthew Stafford missing six of those setbacks.