The 2026 Pro Bowl is set to feature a quarterback just not the one you might expect. Cincinnati QB Joe Flacco was named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster Friday. He is set to replace Josh Allen, who was ruled out after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot following the postseason exit. For Flacco, the accolade is a notable one. The 41-year-old has earned plenty of honors acro s his NFL career, but prior to Friday, he had never secured a Pro Bowl berth. Still, Flaccos numbers acro s 10 starts with the and Bengals were fairly unremarkable. He completed 60.3 percent of his pa ses for 2,479 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during the regular season. Those figures are, admittedly, fairly impre sive for an aging veteran who flirted with retirement not too long ago. Even so, they are not metrics typically befitting of a Pro Bowl quarterback. So why was Flacco handed Allens spot on the final AFC Pro Bowl roster? Heres what you need to know. MORE: How did Joe Flacco make the Pro Bowl? Flacco's insertion into the Pro Bowl roster is somewhat cloaked by mystery. The league's initial Pro Bowl roster is decided by combined fan, media and player votes. Its alternate proce s is murkier, by comparison. Alternates often drop out, opting to go on vacation rather than participate in the flag football showcase. That would then force the league to search for a replacement to fill the void -- a vacuum that can lead to some dubious Pro Bowl selections. Flacco didn't place among the top 10 in fan voting among quarterbacks, but only four AFC quarterbacks did. Two were selected to participate in the Pro Bowl -- Josh Allen and Drake Maye -- while the next two -- Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix -- are unable to participate due to injury. Flacco's selection could indicate that the NFL was bereft of many quality AFC options to deliver Maurice Harkless Jersey pa ses at the Moscone Center. Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud were all potential candidates to take part in the fixture. But it's entirely po sible -- and, in some ways, likely -- that some or all declined the NFL's invitation. MORE: While posting fairly pedestrian numbers in 2026, Flacco could be considered an enticing Pro Bowl option. He had gone 18 seasons without receiving the honor and enjoyed enough succe s during his earlier years to suggest he was deserving of at least one Pro Bowl nod. The proce s for Flacco's selection wasn't perfect. But he'll get a chance to bask in the spotlight one more time before the end of his lengthy career -- even if it took one of his weaker campaigns to do so. Joe Flacco Pro Bowl voting Flacco is a lovable figure amongst NFL fans. That wasn't bore out in Pro Bowl fan voting, though. Flacco didn't place among the top 10 quarterbacks in fan voting. Final top 10 by position in fan voting. Tom Peli sero (@TomPeli sero) That list accounts for the top 10 vote-getters among all quarterbacks regardle s of conference. It's entirely po sible that Flacco ranked within the top 10 vote-getters in the AFC. Still, that would place him some way down the ranks in terms of a potential AFC Pro Bowl depth chart. He'll join Justin Herbert and Shedeur Sanders in the competition. star Trevor Lawrence was named a Pro Bowl alternate but either was not selected to join the roster or, more likely, turned down the opportunity to participate in the flag football festivities in San Francisco. MORE: Who did Joe Flacco replace? Flacco is replacing Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who pulled out of the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in as many selections. He was seen wearing a walking boot during new head coach Joe Brady's introductory pre s conference, having underwent surgery to addre s a broken bone in his foot he suffered during Buffalo's Week 16 win over the Browns. Allen is expected to be back in action by May's OTAs, according to Bills general manager Brandon Beane. MORE: Pro Bowl rosters 2026 AFC Player Position Team Josh Allen** QB Bills Justin Herbert QB Chargers Drake Maye* QB Patriots Shedeur Sanders QB Browns Joe Flacco QB Bills De'Von Achane RB Dolphins James Cook RB Bills Jonathan Taylor RB Colts Patrick Ricard FB Ravens Ja'Marr Chase WR Bengals Nico Collins WR Texans Zay Flowers WR Ravens Courtland Sutton WR Broncos Brock Bowers TE Raiders Travis Kelce TE Chiefs Joe Alt OT Chargers Garett Bolles OT Broncos Dion Dawkins OT Bills Creed Humphrey C Chiefs Tyler Linderbaum C Ravens Quinn Meinerz OG Broncos Quenton Nelson OG Colts Trey Smith OG Chiefs Zach Allen DL Broncos Chris Jones DL Chiefs Jeffery Simmons DL Titans Will Anderson Jr. DE Texans Maxx Crosby DE Raiders Myles Garrett DE Browns Nik Bonitto OLB Broncos Tuli Tuipulotu OLB Chargers T.J. Watt** OLB Steelers Azeez Al-Shaair ILB Texans Roquan Smith ILB Ravens Devin Lloyd ILB Jaguars Christian Gonzalez* CB Patriots Derek Stingley Jr. CB Texans Patrick Surtain II CB Broncos Denzel Ward CB Browns Jalen Ramsey S Steelers Kyle Hamilton S Ravens Derwin James S Chargers Cameron Dicker K Chargers Jordan Stout P Ravens Chimere Dike KR Titans Ben Skowronek ST Steelers Ro s Matiscik LS Jaguars *Will not play due to Super Bowl berth **Declined to participate due to injury NFC Player Position Team Sam Darnold* QB Seahawks Dak Prescott QB Cowboys Matthew Stafford QB Rams Jahmyr Gibbs RB Lions Christian McCaffrey RB 49ers Bijan Robinson RB Falcons Kyle Juszczyk FB 49ers Puka Nacua WR Rams George Pickens WR Cowboys Jaxon Smith-Njigba* WR Seahawks Amon-Ra St. Brown WR Lions George Kittle** TE 49ers Trey McBride TE Cardinals Penei Sewell OT Lions Trent Williams OT 49ers Tristan Wirfs OT Buccaneers Drew Dalman C Bears Cam Jurgens C Eagles Chris Lindstrom OG Falcons Tyler Smith OG Cowboys Joe Thuney OG Bears Jalen Carter DL Eagles Leonard Williams* DL Seahawks Quinnen Williams DL Cowboys Aidan Hutchinson DE Lions Demarcus Lawrence* DE Seahawks Micah Parsons DE Packers Brian Burns OLB Giants Jared Verse OLB Rams Byron Young OLB Rams Zack Baun ILB Eagles Jack Campbell ILB Lions Cooper DeJean CB Eagles Jaycee Horn CB Panthers Quinyon Mitchell** CB Eagles Devon Witherspoon* CB Seahawks Nashon Wright CB Bears Kevin Byard S Bears Antoine Winfield Jr. S Buccaneers Budda Baker S Cardinals Brandon Aubrey K Cowboys Tre s Way P Commanders Rashid Shaheed* KR Seahawks Luke Gifford ST 49ers Jon Weeks LS 49ers *Will not play due to Super Bowl berth **Declined to participate due to injury Bobby Portis Jersey