The NFL has formally announced the initial roster for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, and five Detroit Lions have made the cut.
Leading the way for the Lions is first-time Pro Bowl interior/inside linebacker Jack Campbell, who was selected as a starter. Campbell led in fan voting at his position early on, but had slipped in the final weeks. Fan voting is only weighed for one-third of the overall vote, with players and coaches making up the remaining vote. Campbell starting at ILB means players and coaches respected Campbell's game more than fans did.
With Campbell being selected, all four of the Lions' controversial first four picks of the 2023 NFL Draft have now made the Pro Bowl. Speaking of which, running back Jahmyr Gibbs was voted in as the starter for NFC RBs. It's Gibbs' third Pro Bowl selection in three seasons.
Also voted in as starters are tackle Penei Sewell and pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. For Sewell, the lone bright spot of the Lions' disappointing offensive line has his fourth Pro Bowl selection in what will likely be a First-Team All-Pro season. Sewell is also considered one of the favorites for the inaugural Protector of the Year award. Hutchinson makes his second Pro Bowl after making it as a reserve in 2023, showcasing a return to form after missing most of last season with an injury.
The lone Lion selected outright to not be selected as a starter is wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Like his fellow 2021 NFL Draft pick Sewell, this is also St. Brown's fourth Pro Bowl selection, and fourth consecutive.
Congratulations to the Lions selected to this year's #ProBowlGames pic.twitter.com/2czCtWNk38
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 23, 2025
Jared Goff, Jameson Williams, and the Injured Reserve round out the Alternates
Much of the discussion surrounding the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, beyond whether or not it matters in the first place, will be who was or wasn't snubbed. For many Lions fans, seeing quarterback Jared Goff not make the initial cut has to sting. Goff was selected as the first alternate behind Los Angeles Rams Matthew Stafford, Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott, and Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold.
WR Jameson Williams' late-season surge rewarded him with the fourth alternate slot, bringing the emerging WR one step closer to his first Pro Bowl selection. The three remaining Lions' alternates look more like the injured reserve list. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are first and fourth alternates, while tight end Sam LaPorta is the fifth alternate.
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For an alternate to be officially considered a Pro Bowler, a player on the initial roster must either elect to sit out or reach the Super Bowl. Then an alternate would have to accept the invite, with the first alternate getting first dibs. The probability of Goff receiving an invite as a first alternate is extremely high, but it's also possible that Goff declines the invite after what has been a disappointing season for the Lions. Worth noting that the 2026 Pro Bowl Games will take place in San Francisco, California, which would be relatively close to Goff's hometown.
Williams would require numerous WRs to sit out or decline invites. Last season, three WR alternates eventually made it in, and in the previous season, two did. Don't rule out the possibility that St. Brown would choose to sit out if it meant Williams gets in. But it would be a lot more fun to see the Lions' elite WR duo there at the same time.
The 2026 Pro Bowl Games will take place on February 3, 2025. The final rosters will be announced shortly before, once the replacement for the Super Bowl participants is determined.