Shedeur Sanders Named Pro Bowl Replacement After Unlikely Rookie Surge
Shedeur Sanders is set to compete in the Pro Bowl Games as a replacement, marking the first Pro Bowl honor for a Browns quarterback since 2008 and the first for a fifth-round rookie since 2023.
Shedeur Sanders will compete in the Pro Bowl Games as a replacement for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who will be unavailable after helping lead the Patriots to Super Bowl LX on Sunday.
The Cleveland Browns' quarterback, selected by the team in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, becomes the first Browns quarterback to earn Pro Bowl honors since 2008. He's also the first fifth-round rookie to make the Pro Bowl since Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua in 2023.
From Third-String to Starter
Sanders opened the regular season as Cleveland's third-string quarterback but seized his opportunity when Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion in Week 11. In eight appearances with seven starts, Sanders compiled mixed statistics: 56.6% completion rate, 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He added 169 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground.
His record as a starter: 3-4.
Despite the modest numbers, Sanders injected life into the Browns' offense. His 66-yard touchdown pass in Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders marked the team's longest completion of the season at that point.
The Draft Day Surprise
Sanders, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, fell dramatically on draft day despite widespread expectations he would be selected in the first round. Experts had championed him as a top quarterback prospect, yet five quarterbacks were selected before the former Colorado star. His former teammate Dillon Gabriel was among themβtaken by Cleveland in the third round, three rounds ahead of Sanders.
Pro Bowl Format and Coaches
The 2026 Pro Bowl Games will mark the fourth consecutive year the competition takes place as non-contact flag football. This year marks the first time the event will be integrated into Super Bowl activities, held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco alongside the Super Bowl Experience.
Jerry Rice, the legendary San Francisco 49ers star, will coach the AFC squad. Fellow 49ers icon Steve Young will coach the NFC team.
