Shocking QB named to Pro Bowl as replacement

Minshew is the 11th quarterback who was named a Pro Bowler for the 2023 season.

The six original quarterbacks named to the Pro Bowl were: Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Tua Tagovailoa from the AFC, and Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford from the NFC. Tagovailoa is the only quarterback of the original six who will participate in the Pro Bowl in Orlando.

C.J. Stroud and Minshew will join Tagovailoa in representing the AFC. Jalen Hurts, Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield will be the quarterbacks from the NFC.

Minshew making the Pro Bowl will force everyone to do a double take. He began the season as Anthony Richardson’s backup after spending two seasons as the backup quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Minshew did well after replacing Richardson as Indy’s starter. He passed for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Indy went 7-6 in his starts and 9-8 overall. Although all of those stats, and Indy’s record after Richardson got hurt, were very respectable, nothing about it screams “Pro Bowl season.”

If going to flag football didn’t convince you already that the Pro Bowl wasn’t held in high regard, this roster decision might. Congratulations to Minshew, though. He was more accomplished this season than several of the quarterbacks in the AFC. And now he gets the nod over Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson and Josh Allen, all of whom may have been busy and declined to participate in Sunday’s events.