Colts’ Franklin, Nelson, Taylor selected to represent AFC in 2025 Pro Bowl Games

“Anytime you get a chance to represent your team, the organization at another event where other people are doing the same, It is meaningful.” Taylor told reporters Thursday. 

Three Indianapolis Colts players have been selected to represent the AFC in the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 2. Left guard Quenton Nelson earned his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl nomination in his seventh NFL campaign and is expected to start. Running back Jonathan Taylor made a resurgence to earn his second Pro Bowl nod. Linebacker Zaire Franklin made his first Pro Bowl in his seventh NFL season.

Nelson becomes the first Colts player since Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and the first Colts o-lineman since Jim Parker to make the Pro Bowl in seven straight seasons. “Big Q” joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas and Richmond Webb as the third o-lineman to make seven Pro Bowls in his first seven NFL seasons. Nelson has played 100% of the offensive snaps this season and ranks fourth among qualified guards with a 78.8 Pro Football Focus pass block grade and fifth with an 83.0 PFF run block grade. Nelson has cemented himself among the best players in club history and perhaps the best lineman in the history of the franchise.

Taylor has compiled his best season since his 2021 All-Pro campaign, tied for third in the league with four 100-yard rushing games and tied for fourth with nine games eclipsing 100 scrimmage yards. In 13 games, Taylor has 1,254 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and one receiving score. Taylor earned his third AFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for his Week 16 performance against the Titans, rushing for a season-high 218 yards with three touchdowns. Indy’s bell cow is being fed a career-high 20.7 attempts per game for an offense that ranks eighth in rushing yards per play and rushing yards per game. Taylor told reporters Thursday the honor feels “bitter sweet”, since the Colts are officially eliminated from playoff contention heading into the final week of the regular season.

“Anytime you get a chance to represent your team, the organization at another event where other people are doing the same, It is meaningful.” Taylor told reporters Thursday.

Franklin leads the NFL with 165 tackles and is 15 tackles shy of breaking his own single-season franchise record with one game left against the Jaguars. 2024 has become a career-year for the former seventh round draft pick turned five-time Colts captain. His 60 defensive stops rank second among all linebackers, per PFF. He set career-highs this season with four forced fumbles and two interceptions. Franklin has 510 tackles and 29 10-plus tackle games since 2022, which is the most any NFL player has tallied over the last three seasons.

Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and center Ryan Kelly have been named Pro Bowl alternates for the second consecutive season. Despite the turmoil surrounding the disappointing second-half collapse – losing six of their last nine games and barely escaping with three wins against the Jets, Patriots and Titans – there will still be reasons to watch a few Colts captains get honored in February.