At 7-6-1, the Steelers have been a middle-of-the-road team all season. And middling teams don't typically get a lot of players on the Pro Bowl roster.
Wednesday night, it was announced that T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward were the Steelers' lone representatives on the AFC Pro Bowl roster, the lowest number in the AFC North and the team's fewest since 2013.
The Pro Bowl selections were the fourth for Watt and fifth for Heyward, the team's two defensive stalwarts. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection in each of his first two seasons with the Steelers, was not selected this season, though he is an alternate.
Watt leads the NFL with 17.5 sacks despite missing two full games and parts of three others. A strong candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt also has 53 tackles, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Heyward has been to four consecutive Pro Bowls, as well. The defensive tackle leads all NFL linemen with 73 total tackles, while also recording seven sacks, one forced fumble and an interception.
The Steelers did not have an offensive player selected for the first time since 2008 despite wide receiver Diontae Johnson ranking 10th in the NFL in receiving yards and eighth in receptions.
The Browns and Ravens had five players selected each, while the division-leading Bengals had three.
The Pro Bowl is scheduled to be played Feb. 6 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
