Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald and wide receiver Cooper Kupp have been named to the 2022 Pro Bowl.
For Donald, it's his eighth-consecutive Pro Bowl nod, which means he's earned the distinction every year of his NFL career so far. Overall, those eight selections are tied with Les Richter for third-most in franchise history behind Tom Mack (11) and Merlin Olsen (14); Richter also began his career with eight-straight Pro Bowl selections.
Donald is coming off an NFC Defensive Player of the Week performance in Week 14 that included three sacks, five total tackles (three for loss), three QB hits and a pass breakup that led directly to an interception in the Rams' Monday Night Football win over the Cardinals in Arizona. Those three sacks gave him 10 on the season, his fifth-consecutive year with double-digit sacks.
Donald also set the new franchise record for career sacks earlier this season when he reached 88.5 against the Seahawks in Week 5; he currently sits at 95.5.
"If you accomplish something like that, it's a blessing," Donald said during a video conference Sunday, when asked what it would mean to him to be named to the Pro Bowl. "Just the body of work that you put in and people noticing that, it's a blessing if I was to accomplish that. But obviously we know what my main goal is and what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm on the verge of doing that. Doing it the right way, good things happen from there."
Kupp, meanwhile, earns the first Pro Bowl nod of his career amid a historic fifth NFL season:
- He surpassed 5,000 career receiving yards in Week 14 and tied an NFL record with his ninth-straight game of 90 or more receiving yards with his 13 catches for 123 yards and one touchdown against the Cardinals.
- He became fifth player in NFL history to reach 100 receptions in a player's first 12 games of a NFL season, Michael Thomas, Wes Welker, Marvin Harrison, and Julio Jones, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
- Earlier this season, he became the first player in the Super Bowl era with 800 yards and nine touchdowns through seven games
- Kupp also became the first Rams wide receiver to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Month twice.
- He was also the first player in the Super Bowl era with 900 or more receiving yards and 10 or more receiving touchdowns through the first eight games.
Overall, Kupp's 113 receptions, 1,489 yards and 12 touchdowns all lead the NFL entering Week 15. If those all hold, he would become the first receiving "triple crown" winner in the NFL since Steven Smith in 2005 and fourth overall in the Super Bowl era, joining Jerry Rice (1990), Sterling Sharpe (1992) and Smith.
"It's an incredible, incredible honor," Kupp said, when asked during a video conference on Sunday what it would mean to him to be named to his first Pro Bowl. "Very thankful for, if that comes to be, just being able to be in that place with so many incredible football players. I've touched on this before, the receiver position in my opinion is the most reliant on the other 10 guys to do their jobs. So to be able to put together a good year that's worthy of being able to make it to a Pro Bowl and be honored in that way, it's truly a testament to those 10 guys that are stepping on the field with you, everyone doing their job and allowing you to execute your job."
Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Wednesday, December 22, live on NFL Network's Pro Bowl special "NFL Total Access: Pro Bowl Players Revealed presented by Panini Trading Cards" at 5:00 pm pacific time.
The 2022 Pro Bowl will take place Sunday, February 6, 2022 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and be televised on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and simulcast on ABC.
Catch Donald and Kupp in action in Week 15 when the Rams take on the Seahawks Tuesday at 4 p.m. pacific time at SoFi Stadium. Click here to purchase tickets for Rams-Seahawks.
