The Lions' Pro Bowl drought is over. After going a couple seasons without any Lions players making the NFC's Pro Bowl roster, Detroit will have both defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and wide receiver Calvin Johnson in the 2011 edition of the game. Both Suh and Johnson will start for the NFC.
Although the Lions only have two players officially in the game, three others are alternates, according to Tom Kowalski. Returner Stefan Logan is a second alternate; safety Louis Delmas is a fifth alternate; and special teams player John Wendling is a third alternate. If players at their positions are unable to play in the Pro Bowl because of injuries or being in the Super Bowl, these players could step in to replace them and get a trip to Hawaii with Suh and Johnson.
Suh is the first rookie for the Lions to go to the Pro Bowl since Barry Sanders in 1990, and he is the first defensive Lions rookie to make the game since Bubba Baker in 1979. Johnson is the first Lions player on offense to make the game as a non-alternate since David Sloan in 1999. Both Suh and Johnson are in the Pro Bowl for the first time in their career.
The 2011 Pro Bowl will be on Jan. 30. FOX will broadcast the game, which is returning to Hawaii after being played at the site of the Super Bowl for one season.