The NFL has officially added Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders to the AFC Pro Bowl roster as a replacement. The news, first reported by Jordan Schultz, confirms that the rookie signal-caller will participate in the upcoming Pro Bowl Games in Orlando. Sanders was selected to fill the vacancy left by New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who is unavailable for the event as his team prepares for Super Bowl LX.

Selected with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders is the first fifth-round rookie to earn a Pro Bowl selection since Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua achieved the feat in 2023. He also became the first Browns quarterback to represent the franchise at the Pro Bowl since Derek Anderson in 2008.

Sanders appeared in eight games during his rookie campaign, starting the final seven contests for Cleveland. He finished the season completing 120 of 212 pass attempts for 1,400 yards, totaling seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. On the ground, he added 169 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. The Browns finished with a 3-4 record in the games Sanders started after he moved up the depth chart from third-string to the starting role following trades and injuries within the quarterback room.

A standout performance in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans saw Sanders throw for a career-high 364 yards and three touchdowns. That performance made him only the second rookie in NFL history to record at least 350 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown in a single game, joining Joe Burrow.

The Pro Bowl selection concludes a debut professional season for the former Jackson State and Colorado standout. Sanders will join Browns teammates Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward at the multi-day competition, which features various skills challenges and a flag football game scheduled for Feb. 3.