T.J. Watt leads group of 5 Steelers players selected to Pro Bowl
CINCINNATI – Five players from the Pittsburgh Steelers were selected Monday to a Pro Bowl that will not be played this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The players chosen are outside linebacker T.J. Watt, free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, center Maurkice Pouncey and guard David DeCastro.
All but DeCastro were selected as starters. Watt and Fitzpatrick led the fan balloting.
Pouncey leads the Steelers representatives with nine Pro Bowl selections, and this is the fifth year in a row he was picked. DeCastro was picked for the sixth consecutive year, Heyward for the fourth, Watt for the third and Fitzpatrick for the second in a row.
Watt led the AFC and was tied for third in the NFL with 12 sacks heading into the Steelers’ game Monday night at the Cincinnati Bengals.
The selection of two players from the Steelers offensive line is surprising considering the team ranks No. 31 in running. The line, however, has allowed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to be sacked an NFL-low 11 times, including a span of 275 pass attempts in a row, the second-longest streak in NFL history.
The game was scheduled to be played Jan. 31 in Las Vegas, but it was canceled because of the pandemic.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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