Former Bibb County standout added to Pro Bowl Games

Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones joined the AFC roster for the Pro Bowl Games on Monday.

The former Bibb County High School standout is a Super Bowl replacement for this season’s all-star event.

Kansas City center Creed Humphrey will not be able to participate this week after the Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday to advance to Super Bowl LVII.

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Jones becomes the 16th player from an Alabama high school or college to be selected for this week’s Pro Bowl Games. Like Humphrey, two are being replaced after guard Landon Dickerson and quarterback Jalen Hurts reached Super Bowl LVII when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

Fourteen of the players were original selections in December, and Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne was added as an injury replacement for Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

The players with Alabama football roots who have selected for this year’s event include:

· Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (Alabama)

· Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama)

· Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (Alabama)

· Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama)

· Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (Alabama)

· Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama)

· Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama)

· Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama)

· Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama)

· Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones (Bibb County)

· New York Jets middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (Theodore, Alabama)

· Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama)

· Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama), who was selected as the NFC special-teamer

· Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith (Greenville)

· Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama)

· New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Wenonah, Alabama)

Another Alabama alumnus could have been added to the AFC roster on Monday. Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins was the first alternate at quarterback, and Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes will need to be replaced. But Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and will not participate.

The Pro Bowl selection is the first for Jones, who just completed his 11th NFL season. During the 2022 campaign, Jones missed five games because of a concussion after being sidelined for only one during his first 10 seasons.

The Pro Bowl selections were the first for Dickerson, Hurts, Payne, Reaves, Surtain and Williams, too. Hill has now been a Pro Bowl selection seven times. Mosley has been a Pro Bowler five times, Fitzpatrick, Henry, Humphrey and Smith three times apiece and Allen, Diggs and Jacobs twice each.

In September, the NFL eliminated the Pro Bowl game and replaced it with the Pro Bowl Games, a skills competition and flag-football contest for the selected players. But the Pro Bowl all-star honor remains.

The choices made by fans, players and coaches counted one-third apiece toward determining the Pro Bowl Games rosters for the AFC and NFC teams.

The 7-on-7 flag football game featuring the Pro Bowl players will be held on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as the culmination of a multi-day AFC vs. NFC competition in which all-stars will demonstrate their football and non-football skills in a variety of competitions.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.