Two Stanford Football Legends Earn 2026 Pro Bowl Selections

Drew Dalman and Christian McCaffrey put together strong campaigns that have earned them Pro Bowl bids.

Jul 23, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman (52) runs during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL season is approaching its stretch run. With only two weeks to go in the regular season and the playoff race heating up, the intensity around the NFL is as high as ever. For the teams still alive in the playoff chase, these next two weeks will be all about setting themselves up for success heading into the postseason with seeding still very much at play.

But even though the playoff race is the topic of the league, the NFL announced its Pro Bowl rosters earlier in the week, with Stanford football getting representation for the Feb. 3 event. Chicago Bears center Drew Dalman and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey were the two former Cardinal players selected to participate.

Dalman, earning his first career Pro Bowl nod, was selected in the midst of a dominant season with the Chicago Bears. A key cog to a Bears' offensive line that has helped the offense blossom in head coach Ben Johnson's first year at the helm, Dalman has been very strong in both run and pass blocking.

Allowing 21 pressures, only one sack and one QB hit while only committing three penalties, Dalman has fixed the Bears' center problem while establishing a strong connection with quarterback Caleb Williams. He has also accrued the most snaps of any center this season, edging out Kansas City's Creed Humphrey 1,033 to 1,029. Only four centers have more than 1,000 snaps this season.

Signing a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears after spending the first three seasons of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, Dalman has proven that he was a good investment for Chicago.

At Stanford, Dalman started pretty much all four years of his career, earning second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2019 and first team honors in 2020. A team captain his senior season in 2020, Dalman was a big reason why the Cardinal offensive line did not allow a single sack during the six-game COVID campaign. After the '20 campaign, Dalman was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Falcons.

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) carries the ball defended by Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cameron Mitchell (43) in the fourth quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

McCaffrey, earning his fourth career selection, is having a bounce back season for the 49ers after missing most of the '24 season with various injuries. Limited to only four games last year, McCaffrey has played in all 15 of the 49ers' games this season and has 280 carries for 1,039 yards and nine touchdowns while catching 92 passes for 849 yards and seven touchdowns—nearing his second career 1,000/1,000 season.

But even though McCaffrey has been exceptional overall, he is averaging the lowest yards per carry of his career with a mere 3.7. Averaging 5.4 yards per carry during his Offensive Player of the Year campaign in 2023, McCaffrey has looked less explosive at times, but is still proving that he is a superstar in the NFL.

Playing at Stanford from 2014-16, McCaffrey's three year college career is one of the most iconic and historic in Stanford football history. In 2015, his sophomore campaign, McCaffrey had one of the best seasons ever for a college football running back, carrying the ball 337 times for 2,019 yards and eight touchdowns, while catching 45 passes for 645 yards and five touchdowns.

In addition to his numbers at running back, McCaffrey was also an elite return specialist, returning 37 kickoffs for 1,070 yards and a touchdown, setting the single season record for most all-purpose yards in a season (3,864).

His elite season earned him numerous accolades, including Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, consensus All-American and the AP College Football Player of the Year. He also finished second in the Heisman Trophy race to Derrick Henry.

After another strong season in 2016, McCaffrey declared for the NFL Draft. Leaving Stanford with nearly 7,000 all-purpose yards, McCaffrey currently holds the all-time NCAA FBS record for career all-purpose yards with 6,987.