Because the Philadelphia Eagles clinched their first NFC Championship since 2004 on Sunday night, 49ers’ left tackle Joe Staley is set to play in the Pro Bowl.
The Eagles will face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on February 4, and because their players are no longer eligible for the January 28 Pro Bowl, Staley was selected to join fullback Kyle Juszczyk to represent the 49ers in the NFL’s version of an All-Star Game.
#ProBowl bound!@jstaley74 is headed to Orlando. Details: https://t.co/TlpS3GLYei pic.twitter.com/Kd904zlcyH
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 22, 2018
Originally, six Eagles were named to this year’s Pro Bowl including let tackle Lane Johnson. Now, Staley will be nominated for the sixth Pro Bowl of his career as he repalces Johnson on the NFC roster. Since debuting in 2007, Staley appeared in each Pro Bowl from 2011-2015. The 11-year veteran started the season off quietly, as did the entire 49ers team, but Staley showed his true colors after playing through the pain of a broken orbital bone during the final few weeks of the regular season.