CLEVELAND — The Browns are in the midst of an incredible season that has them headed to the playoffs, and of course, any great season has great players behind it. Five of those men got their due on Wednesday by being named to the AFC's Pro Bowl roster:
- LG Joel Bitonio
- WR Amari Cooper
- DE Myles Garrett
- TE David Njoku
- CB Denzel Ward
Selected through a vote by fans and fellow players, the quintet will all take part in the Pro Bowl Games Feb. 1-4 in Orlando, Florida. This will be the second year of a new format featuring skills competitions and a flag football game between the honorees, replacing the old tackle football all-star game that had been heavily criticized for years due to its lack of excitement.
Cleveland's Pro Bowl slate is once again highlighted by starters Bitonio and Garrett, making their sixth and fifth appearances, respectively. Bitonio's run of six straight selections is the fourth-longest streak by any Browns player (bolstering his potential future Hall of Fame case), while Garrett's 14 sacks and 17 tackles for loss this year have him in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
Joining those two as a starter is Cooper, who earns his fifth career Pro Bowl nod but first with the Browns. The 29-year-old has put together one of the greatest seasons by a wideout in franchise history, tallying 1,250 yards and averaging 17.4 yards per reception (both career-highs). His 265 receiving yards in Week 16 against Houston also set a Cleveland record for a single game.
On the second team, Ward was honored for the third time thanks to two interceptions and 11 pass deflections that have helped anchor a revamped Browns secondary that boasts the best past defense in the game. Finally, Njoku will travel to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his seven-year career after already setting personal bests for receptions (81), yards (882), and touchdowns (six).
Additionally, six Cleveland players were also named Pro Bowl alternates, meaning they could eventually be promoted to the roster due to other selections being hurt or scheduled to play in the Super Bowl the following week. The alternates are:
- C Ethan Pocic
- RG Wyatt Teller
- LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
- S Grant Delpit
- K Dustin Hopkins
- P Corey Bojorquez
This marks just the 10th time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger that the Browns will have at least five Pro Bowl participants. The club record is eight, most recently matched following the 1987 season.
Besides the flag football competition, the 2024 Pro Bowl Games will feature a variety of events to let players tests their skills on the field, including:
- Farthest throw
- Best Catch
- Closest to the Pin
- High Stakes
- Dodgeball
- Kick-Tac-Toe
- Madden NFL Head-to-Head
- Gridiron Gauntlet
- Tug-of-war
- Move the Chains
It is worth nothing that Garrett, in particular, has been a critic of the new format after dislocating his big toe during the "Gridiron Gauntlet" obstacle course race last year. While the 28-year-old did not miss any playing time, he did claim back in April he would no longer take part in the Pro Bowl, although it's unknown if his mind has changed in the months since.