Don't feel too bad for most of the Indianapolis Colts roster after they were not selected to the 2026 Pro Bowl games. The selection process tends to be rooted in a popularity contest, and the teams in the AFC South are simply not overly popular on a national stage.
After all, the Jacksonville Jaguars are having a tremendous season, and they only had one player named to the Pro Bowl games. That was long snapper Ross Matiscik. He must be very good at his job to even get noticed on a team no one else seemed to care about.
In other words, at least twice as many people care about the Colts as the Jags based on 2026 Pro Bowl appearances. Running back Jonathan Taylor was selected, as was left guard Quenton Nelson.
Jonathan Taylor and Quenton Nelson selected to the 2026 Pro Bowl games for the Indianapolis Colts
Taylor's selection was the third of his career. Through Week 16, he leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns (17) and total touchdowns (19). He is second in the league in rushing yards (1.489) while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Nelson is no stranger to the Pro Bowl. This is his eighth time being selected, which is every season of his career. Since 1970, only one other offensive lineman has been selected for the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons, and that was Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns. Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
No doubt that Nelson is trending that way as well. Even if he were to retire after the 2025 (and don't worry; that isn't expected), he would most likely be a first- or second-ballot Hall of Famer.
While the rest of the Indianapolis Colts' offensive line has been moved around or falling apart as the season grows old, Nelson has remained a stalwart at left guard. He is arguably the best player at his position than any other player in the NFL is at theirs.
Besides the Jaguars, other AFC South teams had a few Pro Bowl selections, too. The Houston Texans had four (cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr., wide receiver Nico Collins, edge rusher Will Anderson, Jr., and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair), and the Tennessee Titans had two (kicker returner Chimere Dike and defensive lineman Jeffrey Simmons).
In other words, every other team except for the team likely to win the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars, had more Pro Bowl selections. One might wonder what that means for the Jags' overall popularity, or lack of it.