:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52416531/626130684.0.jpeg)
The nature of the Pro Bowl is simply this: Many of the players named to the roster will elect not to play for one reason or another, either because they’re in the championship or they don’t want to get hurt or they think it’s stupid that the game is not in Hawaii this year, which tripped me up.
That means that if you’re named a Pro Bowl alternate, you’ve got a good shot of playing in the Pro Bowl, assuming you want to. Yesterday, we learned that Patrick DiMarco, the stellar fullback who made the Pro Bowl a year ago, will be the first alternate in the NFC at his position. That means he’ll be in if Mike Tolbert, Carolina’s bulldozing lead blocker, winds up passing.
DiMarco has no receptions or carries this year, but has once again been one of the NFL’s better blockers at the position, and an important piece of an effective ground game. I’d say his 2016 season hasn’t reached the heights of his 2015 campaign, but he’s still plenty deserving of a Pro Bowl nod, so this is good to see.
As a reminder, the Falcons had six players selected to the Super Bowl, including first-time pick Vic Beasley. You can read up on those players right here.