The Detroit Lions’ season was full of ups and downs. Starting off the year just 1-6 to then finishing at 9-8 is indicative of the team’s youth and inconsistency. While it was difficult to tell which version of the team would show up on Sunday, there were a few players who repeatedly dominated week after week.
Most NFL fans know that the Pro Bowl is a terrible way of determining the best players in the sport, consistently snubbing deserving playmakers year after year due to voting flaws. That being said, making the Pro Bowl is still recognition for an incredible year and the hard work that players put in.
With the Eagles making the Super Bowl, their players are ineligible for the Pro Bowl, and as a result, Amon Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell have been called up in place of A.J. Brown and Lane Johnson. St. Brown and Sewell are more than deserving of this recognition, and as some of the youngest players at their positions, this likely won’t be their last Pro Bowl. They join Frank Ragnow as the team’s Pro Bowl representatives, making it the first time since 2014 the team has had 3 Pro Bowlers.
With the goal of improving interest in the event, the NFL has changed the format for the Pro Bowl in favor of a non-contact flag football game and other skill games. While it remains to be seen how much improvement will truly be made, it is encouraging that the league is taking initiative to make changes. With the Lions’ season over, it will be nice for fans to watch their players compete in this year’s remodeled pro bowl games and receive the credit they deserve.
