Photo: Derek Jensen
Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium
Three Cincinnati Bengals players just received an early holiday gift.
The NFL announced rosters for the 2022 Pro Bowl on Tuesday, and the Bengals are packing their bags. Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, defensive end Trey Hendrickson and running back Joe Mixon will play for the AFC.
Chase has been tapped as a starter.
"It’s a tremendous honor for our players to be recognized among the league’s best by their peers, coaches and fans," Zac Taylor, the Bengals' head coach, said in an emailed statement. "Ja’Marr, Trey and Joe have had terrific seasons, and their contributions both on and off the field have been critical for us all year long. Those three, as well as our players who were voted as alternates, are major reasons we are in position to achieve our goals this season."
In an email, the Bengals shared stats for each teammate selected for the Pro Bowl.
Chase:
Chase, a rookie out of Louisiana State University, was Cincinnati’s first-round pick (fifth overall) in April’s draft, and he currently leads the team in receptions (61), receiving yards (1038) and receiving TDs (10). His receiving TD total already is a Bengals rookie record, and his receptions and receiving yardage totals are both approaching team rookie records (67 receptions, 1057 yards). Chase also leads all NFL rookies in both receiving yards and receiving TDs. Chase is the sixth Bengals rookie ever to be voted to the Pro Bowl at any position.
Hendrickson:
Hendrickson, a fifth-year pro out of Florida Atlantic University, is in his first Bengals season after joining the team in March as an unrestricted free agent. He leads the team and ranks fifth leaguewide with 13 sacks, which already are the third-most in team history. Hendrickson has recorded at least a half-sack in each of Cincinnati’s last 10 games — the longest active streak in the NFL, the longest streak in team history, and tied for the fifth-longest streak in NFL history.
Mixon:
Mixon, a fifth-year player out of the University of Oklahoma, originally was a second-round pick of the Bengals in 2017. He currently ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards (1094), second in rushing attempts (262) and third in rushing TDs (12). Mixon stands just three rushing TDs shy of tying RB Ickey Woods’ single-season team record of 15, set in 1988. He also has two receiving TDs this year, which gives him 14 total, just three shy of WR Carl Pickens’ team record of 17, set in 1995.
Several Bengals also were selected as alternates for the game. Quarterback Joe Burrow and long snapper Clark Harris are second alternates, defensive end Sam Hubbard and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi are fourth alternates, and cornerback Mike Hilton is a fifth alternate.
Burrow appears on a number of sportswriters' lists of players who were big surprise snubs.
The first of many for these three 👏
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 23, 2021
Rosters were chosen by coaches, players and fans. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will play in his 15th Pro Bowl, an NFL record.
The 2022 Pro Bowl will be played Sunday, Feb. 6, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The game returns after being cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See the full Pro Bowl rosters for the AFC and NFC.
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