What is an NFL Pro Bowl alternate?

Now that the players and coaches have been announced, the NFL 2023 Pro Bowl rosters are set. This is a major victory for all the players selected, as well as the players' teams. Aside from players selected for the Pro Bowl, some alternates have also been selected for the big game. Some teams even have more alternates than they have Pro Bowlers. So what does that mean?

Well, a Pro Bowl alternate is an NFL player selected to replace any Pro Bowler unable to participate in the Pro Bowl game. A Pro Bowler could miss the Pro Bowl for various reasons, such as injury, the playoffs, or an emergency. As such, the NFL always has a long list of players that can take the unavailable Pro Bowler's place. This is a mechanism to ensure that Pro Bowl games are fully stacked, with no position being understaffed.

What is the significance of being a Pro Bowl alternate?

A Pro Bowl selection is a great honor afforded to only a handful of positional players in the NFL. Take the quarterback position, for instance; only three QBs in a conference have the chance to play in a Pro Bowl each season. As such, you have to be one of the best players in your position to even get the nod as an alternate.

Hence, even though getting the nod as a Pro Bowl alternate isn't as alluring as being selected for the Pro Bowl proper, it is still a massive feat. What's more, alternates that play in the Pro Bowl will have the appearance added to their player's CV. We should add that a Pro Bowl appearance counts in Hall of Fame voting and positional GOAT debates. There's no shame in being named a Pro Bowl alternate; a player is surely doing something right in the eyes of fans, fellow players, and coaches.

What is the difference between being an NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowler?

Being named first-team or second-team All-Pro is arguably more prestigious than being selected to play in the NFL Pro Bowl. The reason is that an All-Pro selection is much more exclusive than a Pro Bowl selection.

For instance, there can only be two All-Pro selections at quarterback. Last year, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers were in a photo finish battle to be named the league MVP. Rodgers eventually won the award, as well as getting picked as a first-team All-Pro selection. On the other hand, Brady finished as a runner-up in league MVP honors and was chosen as the quarterback for the second-team All-Pro. Besides Brady and Rodgers, at least, four other QBs were selected to play in the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl game. That is the same for all other positions.

Furthermore, All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections are made via different variations of votes. For the All-Pro selection, media members have exclusive voting privileges for the award. On the other hand, the Pro Bowl is voted on by a combination of fans, players, and coaches. This makes it all the more special when players make the NFL Pro Bowl game.

Last, an All-Pro selection comes at the end of the postseason season, while the Pro Bowl nod is typically done toward the beginning of the postseason.