2026 NFL Pro Bowl AFC, NFC rosters: The league’s top players

A complete shutout from the Pro Bowl is an exclamation point on the Vikings’ expensive failure this season. The team committed nearly $350 million to its 2025 roster, hoping to support first-time starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy with experienced talent at nearly every position. But some of their top players dealt with injuries, including linebackers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel and left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Receiver Justin Jefferson, meanwhile, is straining just to reach a 1,000-yard season amid McCarthy’s struggles. The only other time Jefferson missed the Pro Bowl was 2023, when he missed seven games because of a torn hamstring. Long-snapper Andrew DePaola, who won the fan voting and was elected to the previous three Pro Bowls, was the only obvious snub.

Did you know? This season was the third in team history without a single player chosen for the initial Pro Bowl season. The other two were in 1983 and 2014. — Kevin Seifert

NFC SOUTH

Pro Bowlers: OG Chris Lindstrom (4); RB Bijan Robinson (2)

Robinson was a no-brainer. He leads the league in yards from scrimmage (2,026) and is fifth in rushing yards (1,250). More than that, he has been the engine of an injury-plagued Falcons offense. In his third season, Robinson has become one of the top running backs in the league and among the most versatile with a career-high 776 receiving yards. If Robinson is the engine, Lindstrom is the conductor. He is the Falcons’ best run blocker, and his pass protection has improved every season. Lindstrom is also one of the team’s captains.

Did you know? Robinson is the first player with 1,000 rushing yards and 750 receiving yards in a season since Christian McCaffrey in 2019. McCaffrey also has accomplished that feat this season.— Marc Raimondi

---

Pro Bowlers: CB Jaycee Horn (2)

Horn became the first Carolina player since DE Brian Burns (2021-22) to make consecutive Pro Bowls, and deservedly so. He is tied for second in the NFL in interceptions with five and is a true shut-down corner. The surprise is that DL Derrick Brown didn’t make his second Pro Bowl. He’s been a difference-maker as a run stopper, as has been his reputation, but also as a pass rusher.

Did you know? The Panthers still haven’t had multiple players selected to the Pro Bowl since 2022, but that comes with an asterisk. RB Christian McCaffrey and DE Brian Burns made it that year, but McCaffrey was traded to San Francisco in October, so he played only six of 17 games for Carolina. In ’21, Burns and cornerback Stephon Gilmore made the team, but Gilmore made it as an alternate. So you really have to go back to 2019 when LB Luke Kuechly and OG Trai Turner were initial selections. — David Newton

---

This is the second straight season the Saints have had no players on the initial Pro Bowl roster, although Erik McCoy and JT Gray made last year’s roster as alternates. It’s a sign of where the Saints (5-10) are currently, as they try to emerge from five-season streak of missing the postseason. The Saints would have to go back to the Pro Bowls for the 2015 and 2016 seasons to find a similar pattern, as neither of those teams had players initially named to the Pro Bowl. Later Cam Jordan (2015) and Drew Brees (2016) would make the rosters as an alternate.

Did you know? Juwan Johnson was briefly among the top 10 tight ends in the fan voting portion, but no Saints players made the top 10 at their position when the final fan votes were tallied. Former Saints wideout/kick returner Rashid Shaheed, who was sent to the Seahawks at the trade deadline this year, made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist after returning two kicks for TDs in Seattle. — Katherine Terrell

---

Pro Bowlers: FS Antoine Winfield Jr. (2); OT Tristan Wirfs (5)

This marks Wirfs’ fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection in six seasons (2021-2025) and Winfield Jr.’s second selection (2021). Both were members of the Bucs’ 2020 draft class, going 13th and 45th overall, respectively. In 11 games this season, Wirfs has posted a 95.2% pass blocking win rate — third best in the NFL for tackles, and he’s surrendered just 3.0 sacks. Winfield Jr. is the only defensive back, and one of three players with 75+ tackles, multiple interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through Week 16 this season.

Did you know? Wirfs’ five Pro Bowl selections give him the third most in team history, behind only Mike Evans and Mike Alstott (6). Wirfs and Alstott are the only Bucs offensive players to earn five straight Pro Bowl selections. Wirfs becomes the first Buc to accomplish this feat since defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (2012-2017). Winfield Jr. joins Pro Football Hall of Famer John Lynch (1997, 1999-2002, 2004-2007) as just the second safety in team history to be named to multiple Pro Bowls. — Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Pro Bowlers: SS Budda Baker (8); TE Trey McBride (2)

There may not have been a more obvious choice for the Pro Bowl than tight end Trey McBride. He is the NFL’s sixth-leading receiver. Not just among tight ends. Among everyone. And the next closest tight end is Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts Sr., who ranks 22nd. McBride has established himself as the preeminent tight in the NFL, which earned him his second-straight Pro Bowl nod. Baker has been able to use a Sharpie, not a pencil, on his calendar to schedule a trip to the Pro Bowl. This is his eighth overall selection and seventh straight. He’s the only safety in the NFL to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last seven seasons. Linebacker Josh Sweat, who was named as an alternate, is sitting ninth in the NFL in sacks for a defense that’s allowed the seventh-most yards this season.

Did you know? McBride is the second tight end in the Cardinals long history to be named to consecutive Pro Bowls. Jackie Smith, who went to five straight Pro Bowls from 1966 to 1970, was the first. — Josh Weinfuss

---

Pro Bowlers: WR Puka Nacua (2); QB Matthew Stafford (4); LB Jared Verse (2); LB Byron Young (1)

The Rams have four Pro Bowl selections: two on each side of the ball. Stafford is playing some of the best football of his career, leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns through Week 16. His top target has been Nacua, who ranks second in receiving yards this season despite missing a game (and nearly two more halves) due to injury. On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams’ defense has been led by their pass rush, especially Verse and Young. Young leads the team with 11 sacks this season and has earned his first Pro Bowl selection.

Did you know? Verse has now made the Pro Bowl in his first two NFL seasons. He was the Rams’ lone initial selection last season.— Sarah Barshop

---

Pro Bowlers: OT Trent Williams (12); FB Kyle Juszczyk (10); TE George Kittle (7); RB Christian McCaffrey (4); LS Jon Weeks (2); ST Luke Gifford (1)

Williams and Juszczyk continue to be Pro Bowl mainstays. Williams has bounced back strong from an injury-plagued 2024 and Juszczyk’s 10 selections are the most ever for a fullback. Gifford and Weeks’ selection provides evidence of how far the Niners special teams have come from one of the worst units in the NFL in 2024 to one of the best in 2025, though kicker Eddy Piñeiro should have at least been an alternate. McCaffrey and Kittle continue to be standard bearers at their positions with McCaffrey aiming for a second career 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yard receiving season.

Did you know? Williams’ 12th Pro Bowl selection ties him with Hall of Famers Randall McDaniel and Will Shields for the second-most by an offensive lineman in league history. With two more nods, Williams can tie Bruce Matthews’ 14 for the most ever. — Nick Wagoner

---

Pro Bowlers: QB Sam Darnold (2); DE DeMarcus Lawrence (5); KR Rashid Shaheed (2); WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2); DL Leonard Williams (3); CB Devon Witherspoon (3)

The Seahawks’ breakthrough in Year 2 under Mike Macdonald yielded six Pro Bowl selections, tied with Baltimore, Denver and San Francsico for most in the NFL. Darnold hasn’t thrown as many touchdown passes as Jared Goff (32 to 24) nor does he have as good of a Total QBR as Jordan Love (72.8 to 60.8), but those two NFC quarterback counterparts don’t have their teams in the driver’s seat for the conference’s top playoff seed. After making the Pro Bowl as injury replacements last season, Smith-Njigba and Williams were easy choices on the original ballot. JSN has an NFL-high 1,637 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns while Williams is tied for second among defensive tackles with 7.0 sacks.

Did you know? Witherspoon is the fourth Seahawks player to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three NFL seasons, joining linebackers Fredd Young and Lofa Tatupu and quarterback Russell Wilson). His latest selection is a testament to what Macdonald said recently about how well Witherspoon is plaing despite not consistently filling up the stat sheet. — Brady Henderson

---

AFC roster

Quarterback: Josh Allen*, Buffalo Bills; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Running back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; James Cook, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Taylor*, Indianapolis Colts

Fullback: Patrick Ricard*, Baltimore Ravens

Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase*, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins*, Houston Texans; Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens; Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos

Tight end: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders*; Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Offensive tackle: Joe Alt*, Los Angeles Chargers; Garett Bolles*, Denver Broncos; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills

Offensive guard: Quinn Meinerz*, Denver Broncos; Quenton Nelson*, Indianapolis Colts; Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Center: Creed Humphrey*, Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens

Defensive end: Will Anderson Jr.*, Houston Texans; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Myles Garrett*, Cleveland Browns

Interior linemen: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Chris Jones*, Kansas City Chiefs; Jeffrey Simmons*, Tennessee Titans

Outside linebacker: Nik Bonitto*, Denver Broncos; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt*, Pittsburgh Steelers

Inside/middle linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans; Roquan Smith*, Baltimore Ravens

Cornerback: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots; Derek Stingley Jr.*, Houston Texans; Pat Surtain II*, Denver Broncos; Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns

Free safety: Jalen Ramsey*, Pittsburgh Steelers

Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton*, Baltimore Ravens; Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers

Long-snapper: Ross Matiscik*, Jacksonville Jaguars

Punter: Jordan Stout*, Baltimore Ravens

Place-kicker: Cameron Dicker*, Los Angeles Chargers

Return specialist: Chimere Dike*, Tennessee Titans

Special-teamer: Ben Skowronek*, Pittsburgh

NFC roster

Quarterback (3): Matthew Stafford*, Los Angeles Rams; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Running back (3): Jahmyr Gibbs*, Detroit Lions; Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons

Fullback (1): Kyle Juszczyk*, San Francisco 49ers

Wide receiver (4): Puka Nacua*, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba*, Seattle Seahawks; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

Tight end (2): Trey McBride*, Arizona Cardinals; George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

Offensive tackle (3): Penei Sewell*, Detroit Lions; Tristan Wirfs* Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers

Offensive guard (3): Tyler Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thuney*, Chicago Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons

Center (2): Drew Dalman*, Chicago Bears; Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles

Defensive end (3): Aidan Hutchinson*, Detroit Lions; Micah Parsons*, Green Bay Packers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks

Interior linemen (3): Jalen Carter*, Philadelphia Eagles; Leonard Williams*, Seattle Seahawks, Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys

Outside linebacker (3): Brian Burns*, New York Giants, Jared Verse*, Los Angeles Rams; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams

Inside/middle linebacker (2): Jack Campbell*, Detroit Lions; Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles

Cornerback (2): Jaycee Horn*, Carolina Panthers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks

Free safety (2): Kevin Byard III*, Chicago Bears; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Strong safety (1): Budda Baker*, Arizona Cardinals

Long-snapper (1): Jon Weeks*, San Francisco 49ers

Punter (1): Tress Way*, Washington Commanders

Placekicker (1): Brandon Aubrey*, Dallas Cowboys

Return specialist (1): Rashid Shaheed*, Seattle Seahawks

Special-teamer (1): Luke Gifford*, San Francisco 49ers

* indicates starter