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Stephon Gilmore among three Patriots selected to 2019 NFL Pro Bowl

The Patriots had three players named to this year’s Pro Bowl.

Oct 10, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) runs off of the field after making an interception against the New York Giants during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 10, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) runs off of the field after making an interception against the New York Giants during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY

Oct 10, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) runs off of the field after making an interception against the New York Giants during the second half at Gillette Stadium. (Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports)

By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com

The Patriots will have three representatives at the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando, Fla., as cornerback Stephon Gilmore, linebacker Dont'a Hightower, and special teams ace Matthew Slater were all named to the roster revealed on Tuesday night.

Gilmore's second consecutive Pro Bowl honor comes in the midst of a career year that's put No. 24 in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation thanks to a league-high six interceptions (two of which have been returned for scores) along with 18 passes defended. This is the third Pro Bowl honor of Gilmore's eight-season NFL career.

Hightower, meanwhile, will make his second Pro Bowl appearance thanks to a 2019 year that's included 61 tackles, four sacks, and one scoop-and-score fumble recovery in 13 games. This will be Hightower's first Pro Bowl since 2016.

And Pro Bowls have become a formality of sorts for Slater, who was named to the Pro Bowl squad for the eighth time in his career on Tuesday, and now officially has the most Pro Bowl honors for any special teamer in league history, beating Steve Tasker's old mark of seven (1987 and then from 1990 through 1995). Slater has been the rock of an absolutely dynamite special teams group in New England, too, and has a team-leading 10 tackles on special teams this season.

Among the surprise misses for the Patriots? Linebacker Kyle Van Noy, punter Jake Bailey (a multi-time Special Teams Player of the Week this season), and even wideout Julian Edelman, who has piled up catches and yards at a career-best rate this season.

The 2019 NFL Pro Bowl will be played on Sun., Jan. 26, 2020 at Orlando's Camping World Stadium.

Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
Ty Anderson is 98.5 The Sports Hub’s friendly neighborhood straight-edge kid. Ty has been covering the Bruins (and other Boston teams) since 2010, has been a member of the PHWA since 2013, and went left to right across your radio dial and joined The Sports Hub in 2018. Ty also writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox.