Yesterday, the Steelers announced QB Russell Wilson and OG Isaac Seumalo are heading to the Pro Bowl. They join special teamer Miles Killebrew as alternates, bringing the Steelers’ total for the 2024 Pro Bowl to seven. And with seven Pro Bowlers, they now have the third-most in the NFL, behind just the Ravens and Lions.
It all goes to illustrate just how little the Pro Bowl has come to mean. While this is the 10th Pro Bowl for Russell Wilson, he hardly earned the accolade this year. But with Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen pulling out, the Steelers quarterback benefited.
It’s unclear what alternate Wilson actually was or in other words how many others passed it up. Patrick Mahomes would surely be higher than him, but he has a Super Bowl to prepare for. In the AFC, the Steelers quarterback also had to contend with Justin Herbert, C.J. Stroud, and Bo Nix.
In addition to Wilson, Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye was also announced as an alternate. Both quarterbacks only started an abbreviated season — in the Steelers’ case, due to injury. Even with the NFC having a deeper quarterback crop, it’s still hard to believe the Tyler Huntley level of the Pro Bowl roster’s quarterback room.
Wilson and Seumalo give the Steelers seven Pro Bowlers in all, as mentioned. Only the Ravens with 11 and Lions with eight have more. The Vikings also have seven, but those in the conference finals all had fewer.
The Commanders had just three, and the Bills four. The Eagles had six and the Chiefs five, but neither can benefit from alternates as the Steelers did since they are participating in the Super Bowl.
Seumalo and Wilson are making the Pro Bowl as Steelers for the first time, and in the former case the first time in his career. The Steelers’ other Pro Bowlers are all repeat picks. T.J. Watt made his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl though he withdrew due to injury, with Cameron Heyward also at seven. Chris Boswell is headed to his second, as is Killebrew. The surprised Minkah Fitzpatrick is making his fifth Pro Bowl.
With seven Pro Bowlers this year, the Steelers have their highest representation since 2017. That year, they had eight Pro Bowlers: Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Alejandro Villanueva, Ryan Shazier, and Chris Boswell. They had more than half of their offense with them, the last gasp of the Killer Bs era. Since 2021, they hadn’t had more than three Pro Bowlers in any given year.
