The Detroit Lions had a franchise-record seven players elected to the Pro Bowl Games this year, and ideally none of them would going now if the team was headed to the Super Bowl. But alas everyone is available to participate, and alternates could be elevated to replace players who are in the Super Bowl.
On Monday, the Lions announced left tackle Taylor Decker has been named to the Pro Bowl team in place of right tackle Penei Sewell, who is unable to participate due to injury.
.@__taylordecker has been named to the Pro Bowl games.
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 27, 2025
He is replacing Penei Sewell, who is unable to participate due to injury. pic.twitter.com/8dWIpmCgMC
Pro Bowlers bowing out due to an injury of some sort is fairly common, but with the injury bug the Lions were hit with this season Sewell bowing out naturally raises some concern. He did not miss a snap in the playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, but this happened to him during the game.
Penei Sewell L knee injury video
— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) January 19, 2025
-Credit @NFLonFox for picking up on this quickly
-Gets bent over on flexed knee. Played rest of game with a left knee brace.
-Hope just mild patella/quad tendon strain and no joint cartilage damage. pic.twitter.com/j78VhKcRaR
Barring any further news that may or may not be forthcoming, let's just assume Sewell needed rest for his injury to heal and he'll be fine for OTAs, etc.
Taylor Decker going to Pro Bowl for first time in his career
The 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Decker is the longest-tenured Lion, now having completed his ninth season. He has been a steady presence protecting the blindside of Matthew Stafford and now Jared Goff, and he's regularly underappreciated league-wide for his work. Pro Football Focus has graded him as a top-25 offensive tackle in the league in five of the last six seasons (No. 9 in 2023), and he missed eight games in the lone exception (2021). This season, he earned the fourth-highest overall PFF grade of his career (77.2)
Decker was the third NFC Pro Bowl alternate at offensive tackle, but with Sewell bowing out and Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson in the Super Bowl he'll get to make the trip to Orlando with several of his teammates (Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Frank Ragnow, Brian Branch, Jack Fox).
Here's the schedule for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.
- Thursday, Jan. 30: 7-8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Skills competition
- Sunday, Feb. 2: 3-6 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN, Skills challenges and flag football games