Two key members of the New England Patriots just earned one of football’s highest honors. Quarterback Tom Brady and cornerback Stephon Gilmore are going to the Pro Bowl, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. This is old news for Brady, who earns the honor for the 14th time in his storied career. For Gilmore, this marks just his second trip to the Pro Bowl and his first as a member of the Patriots.

Tom Brady, Stephon Gilmore Earn Pro Bowl Nominations

Making the Pro Bowl is nothing new for quarterback Tom Brady. Brady has made the Pro Bowl 14 times in his 19-year career, including every season in the past decade. The last time Brady didn’t earn a trip to the Pro Bowl was back in 2008 when he missed the entirety of the season with a torn ACL.

Brady’s in the midst of a relative down year, completing 65.9% of his passes for 3,979 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions through 14 games. However, despite his relatively subpar numbers, the 41-year quarterback currently ranks third among AFC quarterbacks in passer rating.

Gilmore, meanwhile, is having perhaps the best season of his career. The second-year Patriot picked up where he left off in 2017, playing dominant, lockdown coverage week in and week out. So far on the season, the seven-year NFL veteran has defended 18 passes while recording two interceptions and 77 tackles. Pro Football Focus is so enamored with Gilmore’s play that they currently have him ranked as the number one cornerback in the entire NFL.

While this isn’t the most talent-packed team in recent memory, it is a bit of a surprise that right guard Shaq Mason didn’t earn a nomination. The fourth-year guard is one of the best all-around players in football. Stats don’t really do justice for an offensive lineman, but the tape shows Mason is a dominant force in both the pass and the run game. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Mason as the second-best guard in the NFL, so this definitely counts as a snub.

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