The Five Most Inexplicable Quarterback Seasons to Earn Pro Bowl Nod Since 2000

Shedeur Sanders has company among quarterbacks who didn’t belong in the Pro Bowl.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was named to the 2026 Pro Bowl in an inexplicable selection. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders was selected to represent the AFC at the 2026 Pro Bowl on Monday in a truly mind-boggling selection.

As a rookie this season with the Browns, Sanders made eight appearances (seven starts), and completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His passer rating (68.1) and QBR (18.9) were far, far off from the league leaders. The fifth-round pick became the starter in November after Joe Flacco was traded and Dillon Gabriel didn’t do enough to stay ahead of him on the depth chart.

Sanders’s selection served to highlight the absurdity of the Pro Bowl selection process. He only made it after other players either bowed out due to injuries or declined an invitation. That has happened several times throughout the years.

What follows is a look at some of the most ridiculous Pro Bowl quarterback selections since 2000.

Vince Young, Titans, 2006

The Titans made Young the third pick of the 2006 NFL draft, and he reached the Pro Bowl as a rookie, while being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. When you look at the numbers he put up in his first season, all of that looks a bit hollow.

In 2006, Young only completed 51.5% of his passes for 2,199 yards, with 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His passer rating of 66.7 was awful, while his QBR was a slightly better 56.1. He did add 552 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, but he was pretty bad all the way around.

Young joined Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, and Philip Rivers as the quarterbacks for the AFC in 2006, acting as a replacement when Tom Brady bowed out. Of those five names, it’s pretty clear which one doesn’t belong.

Tyler Huntley, Ravens, 2022

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley throws on the run during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

In what was the most absurd selection in Pro Bowl history, Huntley was added to the AFC’s roster in 2022 despite only starting four games. Never mind the fact that his numbers weren’t even that good.

In six total games, Huntley completed 67.0% of his passes for 658 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. His passer rating of 77.2 wasn’t good, and his QBR was 43.0, which would have ranked 26th in the NFL if he had qualified.

In 2022, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow were selected to represent the AFC. The Chiefs made Super Bowl LVII, which took Mahomes out, Allen dropped out with an injury, and Burrow also bowed out. That left Huntley, Trevor Lawrence, and Derek Carr to replace them. It was the ultimate example of how ridiculous the Pro Bowl has become.

Marc Bulger, Rams, 2003

In 2003, the then-St. Louis Rams went 12-4 with Marc Bulger leading the way. Bulger replaced Kurt Warner after the latter suffered a concussion in Week 1. While his team was good, Bulger really wasn’t.

That season, Bulger completed 63.2% of his passes for 3,845 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. His passer rating was a weak 81.4. He didn’t earn a spot despite his team’s success, but once again was promoted to Pro Bowl status thanks to injuries elsewhere in the conference.

Daunte Culpepper was the NFC’s Pro Bowl starter that year, with Brett Favre and Donovan McNabb as the reserves. Both Favre and McNabb were injured, so Matt Hasselbeck also joined Bulger on the roster.

Kerry Collins, Titans, 2008

Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Yes, Kerry Collins made a Pro Bowl. In fact, he made two. In 2008, the then-36-year-old quarterback led the Titans to a 13-3 record and an AFC South title. That got him on the league’s radar for selection. He probably should have stayed home.

Collings completed just 58.3% of his passes in 2008, and threw for 2,676 yards, with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His passer rating was a pedestrian 80.2, while his QBR was slightly better at 57.4. About the only thing he did well was avoid sacks, as he only took eight all season.

The AFC’s quarterback roster at the Pro Bowl for the 2008 season was fascinating. Peyton Manning was the starter, with Jay Cutler as a Bronco, and Brett Favre as a Jet as the reserves. Favre backed out due to an injury, and Collins was the first selection to replace him. What a wild season.

Andrew Luck, Colts, 2012

The NFL badly wanted Andrew Luck to be a star when the Colts selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft. No matter how much anyone liked the guy, it was a joke when he was named to the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster during his rookie season.

In 2012, Luck only completed 54.1% of his passes for 4,374 yards, with 23 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. His passer rating of 76.5 is third-worst for a Pro Bowl signal-caller since 2000, while his QBR was a decent 65.6. He did add five rushing touchdowns as well. Fittingly, a guy who would retire early after being beaten up for his entire career was sacked 41 times as a rookie.

The AFC had Peyton Manning as its starting quarterback in what was his first season in Denver. Tom Brady and Matt Schaub were the alternates, but when Brady bowed out, Luck took his place. Luck was pretty universally liked, but Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers both had better seasons than he did in 2012.

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