Three members of the Dallas Cowboys have been included in the roster for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games. However, quarterback Dak Prescott will not be part of the lineup, with 27-year-old Baker Mayfield from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stepping in as his replacement.
Contrary to initial reports from the Buccaneers website stating that Prescott’s absence is due to injury, insiders familiar with the situation clarified that the reason is personal rather than medical.
As per the Cowboys’ public relations staff, DeMarcus Lawrence and Jake Ferguson will be representing the team, while San Francisco 49ers stars Nick Bosa and George Kittle prepare for Super Bowl 58. Tyler Smith will be taking the place of his teammate Zack Martin, who is not participating due to personal reasons related to the expected birth of his child.
Prescott, along with Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford, was one of three NFC quarterbacks voted into the Pro Bowl Games. Mayfield, originally listed as an alternate, will now join Jalen Hurts, Jared Goff, and Geno Smith as the additional quarterbacks.
Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reported Martin’s absence is due to the upcoming birth of his child. Prescott, on the other hand, has voluntarily opted out of the Pro Bowl, and there is no reported physical ailment affecting the star quarterback, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Even with Prescott’s decision not to play, the Cowboys will have a total of eight Pro Bowlers, including Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, Da’Ron Bland, Brandon Aubrey, and Bryan Anger, who were originally named to the team.
The 49ers lead in Pro Bowl selections with nine players, while Smith, a first-time Pro Bowler in his second season, is one of the notable additions for the Cowboys. The 22-year-old left guard earned a spot on the All-Pro second team after a successful regular season with 14 starts.
Ferguson, also in his second year, emerged as Prescott’s primary target after securing 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games. His inclusion marks the first time a Cowboys tight end has been named to the Pro Bowl since Jason Witten in 2017.
For Lawrence, this marks his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and his fourth overall in his 10-year career. He contributed significantly with 10 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, and four sacks in 17 starts.
Prescott, leading the NFL with 410 completions and 36 touchdown passes in the regular season, earned his first Pro Bowl nod since 2018. The Cowboys concluded their season with a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Game.
