Lions OL Jonah Jackson named to the 2022 Pro Bowl

Back in December, four members of the Detroit Lions were named Pro Bowl alternates, but no one from the Honolulu Blue was named to the game itself. On the last day of January, that changed, and the change came with a few historic implications. Lions guard Jonah Jackson, previously one of those alternates, was named to the Pro Bowl to replace the injured Washington Football Team guard Brandon Scherff.

With just two years of service, Jackson is now in his first ever Pro Bowl. He played in every game in 2021 for the Lions, and Pro Football Focus graded his performance at a 69.8, ranking 22nd among 82 eligible offensive guards.

Scherff, a seven-year veteran of the league, suffered a sprained MCL during the middle of the season, although he returned to play in November. More recently, Scherff was in the news as former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew, now the GM in Washington, claimed that Scherff had turned down a massive contract in negotiations. Scherff has been tagged as a franchise player by Washington for the past two seasons.

For Jackson, the honor comes with some new history. His selection to the Pro Bowl makes him the first home-grown guard from the Detroit Lions to be named to the game in the NFL’s modern era. It is perhaps a sign of promise for the young offensive line for Jackson to find these honors, as Detroit continues to build its identity around the trenches heading into the second year under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.

Previously, Jackson had been named an alternate to the Pro Bowl back in December, alongside tight end T.J. Hockenson, fullback Jason Cabinda and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin.