National Football League

2022 Pro Bowl: Micah Parsons, Mac Jones top list of rookie stars

Published Feb. 6, 2022 11:30 a.m. ET

It's raining rookies at the 2022 Pro Bowl.

This year's game, which kicks off in Las Vegas on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, boasts six rookie selections.

This is just the fifth time in 40 years that there have been six or more rookies selected to play in the Pro Bowl. The most rookie selections in NFL history was back in 1973, when eight first-year players were selected to the Pro Bowl.

Let's take a look at the first-year players who made the cut.

Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase, who will not participate in the Pro Bowl since the Bengals are headed to Super Bowl LVI, had 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season. In Cincinnati's Week 17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Chase finished with 11 receptions for 266 yards and three touchdowns. His performance rewrote the NFL record book for most receiving yards by a rookie in a game, which was previously held by Buffalo Bills wide receiver Jerry Butler (255 receiving yards in 1979).

In the postseason, the 21-year-old Chase has 20 catches for 279 yards. It's safe to say that the LSU alum was instrumental in helping turn things around for the Bengals, who finished last in their division last year.

Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys

Back in November, the 22-year-old former Penn State standout took down Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr for his ninth sack of the season. That broke the Cowboys' rookie record set in 2005 by former Defensive Rookie of the Year and four-time All-Pro pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.

Parsons finished the regular season with 13 sacks and three forced fumbles. Is there anything he can't do?

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

The former Florida star — selected No. 4 in the 2021 draft — is the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history. Pitts had 68 receptions for 1,026 yards and one TD in the regular season, becoming the first tight end in 60 years to top the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie. Mike Ditka is the only other tight end in NFL history to do that as a rookie, tallying 1,076 yards in just 14 games in 1961.

Pitts also set a Falcons franchise receiving record for a rookie, topping wide receiver Julio Jones' mark of 959 yards in 2011.

Rashawn Slater, OT, Los Angeles Chargers

The Northwestern alum emerged as one of the league's best left tackles. In Slater's 16 games played in 2021, he was on the field for 100% of the team's offensive snaps. In his 1,116 snaps played, he allowed just four sacks and 26 QB pressures.

Mac Jones, QB, New England Patriots

The former Alabama QB and fifth quarterback off the board in the 2021 draft has outplayed all other passers from his class. Jones ended the regular season with a 67.6 completion percentage, racking up 3,801 yards and 22 TDs. He also got the Patriots back to the postseason in his first year in the league.

Jones was the first rookie to start a season opener for the Patriots since Drew Bledsoe in 1993 and became just the third QB in NFL history to win his first six road starts as a rookie, joining Ben Roethlisberger and Dak Prescott.

Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jones' Crimson Tide teammate also etched his name into the NFL record books this season. The 23-year-old became the new rookie rushing record holder for the Steelers, moving ahead of Franco Harris' mark of 1,055 yards set in 1972. Harris finished with 1,200 total rushing yards in his first season.