NFL community shocked as Shedeur Sanders makes Pro Bowl
- Liam Howard
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
It was announced on Monday that former Colorado Buffaloes and current Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will play in the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl. Sanders will replace New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye as an alternate, with Maye’s team playing in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 14.
Sanders is the first Colorado quarterback to make the Pro Bowl since Kordell Stewart in 2001.
The 23-year-old’s selection to the annual games came with heavy criticism from NFL fans and experts alike. Calls to abolish fan voting and the NFL Pro Bowl Games as a whole poured in from social media following the announcement.
This backlash is understandable, as Sanders’ rookie stats were less than impressive. He threw for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions, resulting in a dismal quarterback rating of 18.9. Sanders also finished with a passer rating of 68.1, which ranked 49th out of 53 quarterbacks to play in NFL games in 2025.
Sanders made the Pro Bowl due to multiple factors, including fan voting, coach voting, and potential invitation declinations from other quarterbacks. The initial roster for the Pro Bowl is decided by a combination of fan and coach voting, with opt-outs shaping the roster from there.
Maye opted out due to his obligations to his team, meaning the roster spot would go to the next-highest quarterback on the list of fan and coach voting. If that player also elected to opt out due to injury or other reasons, the selections would continue down the list.
The order players finish in this list is not public, but due to Sanders’ inclusion, it’s logical to say that he was voted in over the likes of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, whose team’s season is over, is fully healthy and was an MVP finalist. That is, unless Lawrence declined his invitation to the games, which has not been announced.
Some other notable, fully-healthy quarterbacks that didn’t get the nod include Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Dillon Gabriel, CJ Stroud and Joe Flacco.
Still, this marks a major achievement in Sanders’ career. He is the first Browns quarterback to make the Pro Bowl since Derek Anderson in 2007. He is also the first fifth-round rookie to make the Pro Bowl since Puka Nacua in 2023 and the first-ever fifth-round rookie quarterback to get the nod.
“Thank you, God. I’m beyond excited and extremely grateful for all the love and support from the coaches, players, and fans,” Sanders said on Monday. “This wouldn’t be possible without the support behind me. Still plenty of work to do.”