With winning comes recognition. The Lions are seeing that for themselves.
After winning the NFC North for the first time ever, the 11-5 Lions are sending five players to the Pro Bowl -- and possibly more than that when it's all said and done.
Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, tight end Sam LaPorta, center Frank Ragnow, right tackle Penei Sewell and special teams star Jalen Reeves-Maybin were announced as Pro Bowlers on Wednesday night, voted in by NFL players, coaches and fans. The five Pro Bowlers marks the most for the Lions since they also had five in 2014 when they finished 11-5.
Some superlatives, for each. Hutchinson, who has 9.5 sacks this season, is third in the NFL in QB pressures behind Pro Bowl starters Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons and second to Bosa in QB hits.
LaPorta, as a rookie, is fourth in the NFL and second in the NFC among tight ends in catches (81), sixth in the NFL and third in the NFC in yards (860) and first overall with nine touchdowns.
Ragnow is the highest-graded center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. He's allowed one sack and five QB hits in 513 pass-blocking snaps, and he has the NFL's third highest run-blocking grade. And he's spent all season playing through a crippling toe injury.
Sewell is the highest-graded offensive tackle in the NFL, according to PFF. He's allowed one sack and five QB hits in 606 pass-blocking snaps, and he has the NFL's highest run-blocking grade.
Reeves-Maybin leads the NFL in special-teams tackles.
The Lions, of course, hope they'll still be playing when the Pro Bowl Games arrive the weekend between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. But if they're not, they have seven other players who were named Pro Bowl alternates, including two first alternates in receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
St. Brown is tied for second in the NFL in catches (112) behind only CeeDee Lamb, fifth in yards (1,371) and tied for fifth in touchdowns (9). Gibbs, another rookie standout for Detroit, leads all running backs in yards per carry (5.4).
Quarterback Jared Goff was named a second alternate, guard Jonah Jackson is a third alternate, running back David Montgomery and punt returner Kalif Raymond are fourth alternates and linebacker Alex Anzalone is a fifth alternate.
The Lions sent four players to the Pro Bowl last season in Sewell, Ragnow, St. Brown and Goff.