Bills OT Dion Dawkins, RB James Cook named to Pro Bowl team
Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins and running back James Cook will participate on the AFC squad during the weeklong celebration of player skills that culminates with a flag football game.
The Buffalo Bills will have a pair of representatives at next month's Pro Bowl Games.
The team announced Wednesday that offensive tackle Dion Dawkins and running back James Cook will participate on the AFC squad during the weeklong celebration of player skills that culminates with a flag football game that will be played Feb. 4 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
It's the third Pro Bowl honor for Dawkins and the first for Cook, who becomes the first Bills running back to be named to the game since LeSean McCoy in 2017. Dawkins is the Bills' first offensive lineman to be named to three or more Pro Bowls since guard Ruben Brown was selected eight straight times from 1996-2003.
Cook is one of three AFC running backs chosen, along with Tennessee's Derrick Henry and Miami's Raheem Mostert. A second-year veteran, Cook leads the AFC in rushing yards going into Week 18, with 1,086. He's also added 41 catches for 429 yards and has six total touchdowns.
"First of many," Cook tweeted shortly after the announcement was made. "Blessed."
"Super honored and grateful," Dawkins tweeted. "Lots of hard work been put in, but there is more, more, more to go."
It's possible Dawkins and Cook will be joined by other teammates in Orlando. Quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs are first alternates at their respective positions, while center Mitch Morse and defensive end Leonard Floyd are second alternates. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver is a third alternate, as is rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid. Tight end Dawson Knox is a fifth alternate.
The quarterbacks chosen to the AFC team are Miami's Tua Tagovailoa, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes. The wide receivers chosen are Miami's Tyreek Hill, Cleveland's Amari Cooper, Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase and the Los Angeles Chargers' Keenan Allen.
Eight NFL teams had at least five players chosen, led by the San Francisco 49ers with nine (including eight starters): quarterback Brock Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, tight end George Kittle, offensive tackle Trent Williams, defensive end Nick Bosa, defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback Charvarius Ward. The Baltimore Ravens (seven), Dallas Cowboys (seven), Miami Dolphins (six), Philadelphia Eagles (six), Cleveland Browns (five), Kansas City Chiefs (five) and Detroit Lions (five) are the other teams with at least five Pro Bowlers.
Pro Bowl week falls between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, so players from teams that make it to the Super Bowl are ineligible to participate.
