Shedeur Sanders has been selected as a replacement quarterback on the AFC’s roster for next week’s Pro Bowl Games, ESPN reported Monday.
The Cleveland Browns rookie was a fifth-round pick after many analysts thought he would go earlier in the draft. Sanders played in eight games, and started the Browns’ final seven games, going 3-4.
He finished the season with a 56.6 per cent completion rate and 68.1 passer rating along with 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
New England’s Drake Maye, Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo’s Josh Allen were on the original AFC roster when the selections were announced on December 23.
Maye is unable to participate because of the Patriots advancing to the Super Bowl while Herbert and Allen dealt with injuries at the end of their seasons.
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Other AFC quarterbacks, including Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones and Denver’s Bo Nix also suffered season-ending injuries. Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence was one of the top alternates, but Lawrence opted not to play in the event.
Sanders was not selected as one of the four alternate selections at quarterback when the rosters were first announced.
Finding players to fill out Pro Bowl rosters because of injuries has always been a challenge, but it has increased since the NFL removed the exhibition full-contact all-star game format and went to a weeklong skills competition and flag football game beginning with the 2022 season.
Tyler Huntley made it as an alternate three years ago after throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Pro Bowl Games will take place in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (NFC) and Steve Young (AFC) are the coaches for the flag football showdown on February 3.
