By Bob Condotta
The Seattle Times
The Seahawks had two players named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday, the rocks of stability throughout the team’s rise to prominence this decade: quarterback Russell Wilson and middle linebacker Bobby Wagner.
That might seem like a really low total, given the Seahawks are tied for the second-best record in the NFL at 11-3 and currently No. 1 in the NFC playoff picture.
But it also speaks to the value of what are the team’s literal two signal-callers on each side of the ball. For each, the invites put them even further up into the team’s hierarchy.
For Wilson, it is his seventh Pro Bowl nod and ties him with Steve Largent for the third-most in team history.
The only players to make it to the Pro Bowl more often as Seahawks are Walter Jones (nine) and Cortez Kennedy (eight).
For Wagner, it is his sixth Pro Bowl nod.
It is the fewest Seahawks named to the game since Pete Carroll’s first year in 2010, when no Seahawk made it.
The Seahawks also had seven alternates to the Pro Bowl: tackle Duane Brown, running back Chris Carson, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, safety Quandre Diggs, cornerback Shaquill Griffin, guard Mike Iupati and wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Those players will only make it if another player cannot take part.
Wilson is in the midst of one of his best NFL seasons with a passer rating of 109.3 that would be the third-best in his career with 28 touchdowns against just five interceptions.
Wagner is having another typically stellar season.
Wagner is second in the league with 139 tackles, which is the sixth-most in franchise history for a season and has eight consecutive seasons with 100 or more tackles, most in franchise history.
He also became Seattle’s all-time tackle leader against Atlanta in October and is the only player in franchise history with more than 1,000 tackles with 1,120.
The Pro Bowl selections are compiled in a vote of fans, players and coaches, each accounting for one-third.
The record for Seattle players to take part in the game is seven in 1984, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Seattle had just three last year — Wilson, Wagner and punter Michael Dickson.
Of the alternates, the player who might have had the best case to make it is Carson, who ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing with 1,190 yards, which is also a career high, and is tied for second in attempts with 270.
But the NFC also has a pretty stacked tailback spot with Dalvin Cook of Minnesota, Christian McCaffrey of Carolina and Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott of Dallas the three to make it.
Lockett may have had a shot until his recent little lull due to a shin contusion and illness. Clowney likewise may have made it had he not missed two of the last four games, which has limited his sacks — he has three.
The Saints led all NFC teams with seven selections. Seattle was tied with seven other teams with two, including the Packers, who are also a division-leading 11-3 (QB Aaron Rodgers and OL David Bahktiari). Only one team had fewer than two — Detroit, with just one (cornerback Darius Slay).
The 49ers led NFC West teams with four, a group that included former Seahawk Richard Sherman, who made it four times with Seattle, while the Rams and Cardinals each also had two.
Baltimore led the way with 12 picks including another former Seahawk, safety Earl Thomas.
The Pro Bowl will be played Jan. 26 in Orlando, Fla., with a noon PST start time.
