Smith is a first-time Pro Bowler in his 10th NFL season, which is rare for a player at his position. Let Smith and his Seahawks teammates tell it, though, this is no surprise. They’ve known all along Smith could perform like a top-10 quarterback if put in a situation to succeed. Smith has known it for years.
He referred to himself as a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in 2014 and his head coach basically had to apologize for the quarterback’s confidence, which was perceived as delusion at the time. But it’s that self-belief that allowed Smith to have this type of season after seven years on the bench. — Duggar
Notable selections
- Rams DT Aaron Donald became the first defensive lineman ever to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons.
- Travis and Jason Kelce each made the Pro Bowl in the same season for the brothers’ fifth time as a pair.
- 49ers OT Trent Williams leads all players chosen for the initial roster with his 10th Pro Bowl selection.
- Four of the six quarterbacks selected are age 27 or younger.
- Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa led all players in fan voting (306,861 votes), but was left off the Pro Bowl roster.
- The Jaguars and Bears are the only teams without a Pro Bowl selection.
How are the rosters selected
Rosters are selected based on three groups of voting: fans, players and coaches. Each category’s vote represents one third to determine the 88 pro bowlers. The NFL is the only sports league to use fans, players and coaches voting to determine who makes the Pro Bowl.
What is the format of the Pro Bowl
The Pro Bowl is no longer a tackle football game. The 2023 Pro Bowl will feature skills competitions throughout the week. It will culminate on Feb. 5 with a flag football game.
How can you watch the game
The Pro Bowl will take place from 3 pm ET to 6 pm ET on ESPN and ABC.
Required reading
(Photo: Kirby Lee / USA Today)
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