Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been named to the Pro Bowl, but the selection isn’t sitting well with everyone.

Sanders was added as an alternate for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who is Super Bowl-bound. Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and Maye were originally selected as the AFC’s three Pro Bowl quarterbacks.

Sanders, however, had a resume that didn’t exactly scream “Pro Bowler.” The rookie started seven games for Cleveland and went 3-4 in those contests, throwing for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His season ended with a QBR of 18.9, one of the lowest marks among starting quarterbacks.

For Sanders to land the honor, the alternate list had to get pretty thin. Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes and Daniel Jones were unavailable due to injury. Still, the decision to include Sanders raised eyebrows, considering other AFC quarterbacks with stronger resumes were left out — including Trevor Lawrence, Cam Ward, Aaron Rodgers, C.J. Stroud, Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco and Joe Burrow.

The announcement quickly sparked criticism and revived the long-running debate over how much the Pro Bowl still matters, including a pointed reaction from longtime NFL voice Trey Wingo.

“Objectively, and the keyword here is objectively. This is patently ridiculous. In what universe does a quarterback with a QBR rating of 18.9 out of 100, who threw more interceptions than touchdowns and completed 57% of his passes a pro bowl player?” Wingo said on X. “Take the name away and look at the numbers and no one would say that’s a pro bowl season.”

Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Not First Stunning Pro Bowl Selection

Sanders is far from the first stunning Pro Bowl selection. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley is likely the best example. Huntley made the Pro Bowl in 2022 after starting just four games. He finished the regular season with 658 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

“Man, it just feel like a movie. Every day I wake up and it’s like, it’s really going on,” Huntley said.

Pro Bowl selections are determined through a combined voting process involving fans, NFL players, and coaches, with each group accounting for one-third of the final vote.

Players who are selected but are unable to participate — often due to injuries, Super Bowl participation, or personal decisions — are replaced by alternates based on the next-highest vote totals at their positions, allowing additional players to be added to the Pro Bowl field even after rosters are first revealed. Sanders may not have had the stats, but he has no lack of fan support, which may have put him in position for the Pro Bowl nod.

Browns Unsure About Moving Forward With Shedeur Sanders

Sanders may now have a Pro Bowl selection on his resume, but he still heads into an offseason of uncertainty. The Browns declined to commit to Sanders at the end of the season and are expected to explore all their options at the quarterback position.

“We saw a lot of progress with Shedeur this year,” Berry said. “I think that’s both mentally, physically, playing the position. He’s still very much a work in progress, like many rookie quarterbacks are. But I think we saw some really good things in terms of his playmaking, his accuracy, his ability to extend with his feet. And I think I’d also give him credit, as well as our offensive staff, for bringing him along in terms of his pocket management, his situational awareness and things of that nature.”

The Browns will also have Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson under contract next season.