Getty Quenton Nelson #56 of the Indianapolis Colts reacts after a play during the fourth quarter in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders
Quenton Nelson made history on Wednesday, December 21, as the offensive guard for the Indianapolis Colts made his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl when the results were announced by the NFL.
Nelson is the first Colts player ever to make the Pro Bowl in his first five seasons and is the first player since Colts’ great, wide receiver Reggie Wayne (2006 to 2010), to make five consecutive Pro Bowls. Nelson’s fifth Pro Bowl selection also catches the Colts record for consecutive offensive line selections, matching Chris Hinton’s five consecutive appearances from 1985 to 1989.
First player in Colts history to make every Pro Bowl in his first 5 seasons.
Nelson: A Dominant Force
Nelson has been a lynchpin for the Colts’ offensive line since he was drafted in the first round by Indianapolis in 2018. In college, Nelson was named a consensus All-American for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and his accolades followed him to the NFL. As a rookie, Nelson made the Pro Bowl and was named to the first-team All-Pro.
In the next three years, Nelson was a regular at the Pro Bowl, earning a nod in each of his active seasons. Nelson also has named to the All-Pro Team in each of his four seasons in the league. Nelson has earned respect across the league as a powerful run blocker and an elite pass blocker.
This season, the expectations for Nelson have been high. In the 2022 preseason, Nelson was voted number 28 in the annual NFL top 100 rankings. The highest-ranking of any Colts lineman. Despite the high expectations entering the season, and the offensive line being considered one of the Colts top strengths, as a unit the Colts O-line has taken a step back.
Despite having a down year on the line, Nelson still ranks as one of the top interior linemen in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. Even though Nelson has not reached the top-tier level of play he has shown in previous seasons, Nelson has just under 16 blown blocks out of almost 1000 snaps this season according to Nate Atkins and the Indy Star.
A Down Year for the Colts
Outside of Nelson, the 2023 Pro Bowl selections were certainly a different experience for the rest of the Colts. In 2022, the Colts led the league with overall Pro Bowl selections, with seven players named starters and six playing in the game, including running back Jonathan Taylor, Nelson, center Ryan Kelly, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, linebacker Darius (now Shaq) Leonard, cornerback Kenny Moore II, and long-snapper Luke Rhodes all selected to the Pro Bowl.
The #Colts have 1 Pro Bowler this year:
Quenton Nelson
Far cry from the league-best 7 Pro Bowlers from last year.
Shame Grover Stewart and even Zaire Franklin didn’t make it. Tremendous, Pro Bowl worthy, seasons by both.
As it stands for 2023, the Colts will only send one representative to the Pro Bowl game, but there is a chance more Colts players can make an appearance from the alternate selections. Every year, whether due to injuries or if a team makes the Super Bowl, several spots open for the game. A handful of Colts will be hoping for that chance.
The Colts have five players who were selected as 2023 alternates. Buckner and Taylor will have a chance to return as both made the alternate roster. In addition to the two, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, linebacker Zaire Franklin and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue joined Taylor and Buckner in making the alternate team.
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Quenton Nelson Passes Reggie Wayne for a Piece of Colts History