Bengals Beat: What Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Trey Hendrickson Pro Bowl nods really mean ‘It should send a clear message to everybody (on Bengals)’

CINCINNATI — Whatever happens Saturday night and late Sunday afternoon, one thing is for sure, this is one of the best seasons in Bengals history for individual accomplishments, especially on the offensive side.

The NFL announced Thursday that Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, receiver Ja’Marr Chase and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson have been voted to the AFC team for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.

Chase and Hendrickson were voted as starters at their respective positions. This marks the fourth consecutive, and fourth career, Pro Bowl selection for both players. Burrow receives the honor for the second time in his career.

“They’re very talented, and they get the most out of their abilities, but they also work around the clock as hard as anybody else, and so you don’t just (run) into these awards. It’s pretty cool to see three guys like that be rewarded.”

Additionally, two Bengals have been voted as alternates for the AFC team. Running back Chase Brown is a third alternate and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is a fourth alternate. Alternates are added to the event if a voted player in a position group is unable to participate. Selections from the two teams reaching the Super Bowl will be among those unable to play, as will players who are not cleared due to injury.

The Bengals may or may not continue their winning ways into the postseason, but as Burrow was caught saying on “Hard Knocks”, “the season’s about over and I feel like I’m just freaking getting started, baby.”

Burrow leads the NFL this season in completions (423), passing attempts (606), passing yards (4641) and touchdown passes (42), while ranking third in passer rating (109.8) and fifth in completion percentage (69.8). His completions total, passing yardage and TD passes each are a Bengals single-season record. He has passed for at least 250 yards and three touchdowns in each of his last eight games, the longest streak in NFL history. Burrow’s previous Pro Bowl selection came in the 2022 season.

Chase leads the NFL this season in receptions (117), receiving yards (1612) and receiving TDs (16). His receptions total and receiving yardage also are Bengals single-season records. He has recorded 100 or more yards in five games, matching a career high and tying for the second-most such games in team history. He is the second player in team history to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons, joining A.J. Green (2011-14).

As remarkable as Chase’s receiving numbers are, his reliability and endurance are just as important in Taylor’s mind. The Bengals have called 1,063 official snaps on offense this year. Chase has played in an incredible 92 percent (981) of Cincinnati’s 1,063 offensive snaps this season. Only Ted Karras (1,063), Alex Cappa (1,059) and Joe Burrow (1,058) have played more.

It’s appropriate that this topic arises the week of a game against the Steelers. In the 2022 opener, Chase – on a day where the heat index approached 100 degrees on the Paycor turf – played all 100 snaps of the overtime loss to the Steelers. Only Burrow and all five offensive linemen played all 100 snaps.

“The amount of reps he takes in a game is insane,” Taylor told me. “It really is. And I do my best to (get a feel from) him during the game, on when he’s needs a break, from just a playcall standpoint, not even come out of the game, but just don’t feature him. Let him stay put for a moment. I do my best, but there’s been times where I feel like I don’t care, I’m gonna try to get him the ball again. And trying to think of what stretch was a home game going towards our tunnel. We just kept throwing to him, Philly or maybe Raiders. I can’t remember, but I just couldn’t I couldn’t help it. I can tell how tired he was and I didn’t care.”

Hendrickson, an eighth-year player out of Florida Atlantic University, is tied for the NFL lead in sacks this season (14), while also totaling 41 tackles, five PDs and two FFs. He has recorded at least one sack in seven games, including Week 9 vs. Las Vegas, when he posted a career-high four sacks to earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. His 14 sacks are tied for the third-most in a season in team history.

Chase and Hendrickson are the 11th and 12th players in Bengals history to be voted to the Pro Bowl four times.

“Probably the least surprising selections of history, and least surprising because when you’re taking three of your hardest workers on your team, and they’re Pro Bowlers, like shocking three guys that work all year round, as much as any three players we have, there’s others I’m sure you can put in there,” Taylor said Thursday. “I can’t see how everybody works, but I know those three guys have done everything they can to put themselves in this position to do this, so I’m not shocked when those are three Pro Bowlers, and it should send a clear message to everybody.”

The 2025 Pro Bowl Games take place on Sunday, Feb. 2 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., and will be televised live on ABC and ESPN.