Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been selected as a replacement on the AFC roster for next week’s Pro Bowl Games, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the NFL has not announced roster changes. Yahoo Sports was the first to report on Sanders’ addition.
Sanders was a fifth-round pick after many thought he would go earlier in the draft. He played in eight games and started the Browns’ final seven games, going 3-4. He had a 56.6% completion rate and 68.1 passer rating with 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The New England Patriots’ Drake Maye, Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert and Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen were on the original AFC roster when the selections were announced Dec. 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.
Other AFC quarterbacks, including the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, Indianapolis Colts’ Daniel Jones and Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix also suffered season-ending injuries. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence was one of the top alternates but opted not to play in the event.
Sanders was not selected as one of the four alternates at quarterback when the rosters were first announced.
Finding players to fill out Pro Bowl rosters because of injuries always has been a challenge, and it has increased since the NFL did away with 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 touchdown passes and three interceptions in four starts for 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 Feb. 3.
