FRISCO, Texas – As a team, the Cowboys fell short of the mark in terms of expectations for the 2024 season. But individually, there were some standout performances, and a handful of those players were recognized on Thursday.
The Cowboys landed five players on the NFC Pro Bowl roster, including two from the special teams.
Kicker Brandon Aubrey and return specialist KaVontae Turpin are returning to the Pro Bowl, along with defensive end Micah Parsons, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and guard Tyler Smith.
All five players made the Pro Bowl last season. Parsons is returning for the fourth time, making it all four seasons of his career so far. Lamb has also been selected for a fourth straight time and Turpin, Aubrey and Smith are returning for a second time.
The Pro Bowl Games return to Orlando in late January, for nearly a week of exciting skills competitions between the NFC and AFC players. The week concludes with an always-intense flag football matchup that has replaced the traditional game with full pads. The game will again be coached by Eli Manning (NFC) and Peyton Manning (AFC).
Here's some of the highlights from each of the five players who were selected to the Pro Bowl:
Brandon Aubrey
- Aubrey becomes the first kicker in Cowboys history to make the Pro Bowl in consecutive years.
- Among his accomplishments this year include being the first player in NFL history to make more than 35 field goals in each of his first two seasons.
- He set another NFL record this year by making 14 field goals of 50 yards or more. Among those were kicks of 60 and 65 yards, which is the new Cowboys record.
- Aubrey is currently 36 of 43 on field goals this year. Of those seven misses, two were blocked and two were over 60 yards, including a 70-yard attempt in Carolina three weeks ago. Last week in Philly, Aubrey's 61-yard attempt hit halfway up the right upright.
- Aubrey is also one of nine NFL kickers to make every extra point this year – with at least 20 attempts. Aubrey is 29-of-29 this season.
KaVontae Turpin
- Turpin is the only player in the NFL to have a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown this season. He also had three TD receptions.
- He became the first player in franchise history with at least a punt return, kick return and receiving TD in the same season. He's joined Kevin Williams as the only players to have a rushing, receiving, punt return and kickoff return TDs in their Cowboys career.
- Turpin made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist, but his overall value was felt all season long. Turpin had career-highs with 28 catches for 367 yards and three touchdowns.
- Here in the last few weeks, Turpin has been running the ball from the backfield and has 87 yards on 15 carries, for a team-high 5.8 yard average.
Micah Parsons
- Parsons becomes the 21st defensive player in NFL history and just the second Cowboys player (Mel Renfro) to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons of his career. Only four Cowboys at any position have made the Pro Bowl four straight years to begin their career - Renfro, Emmitt Smith, Zack Martin and now Parsons.
- Despite missing four games due to a high-ankle sprain, Parsons was still able to lead the team with 9.5 sacks. All but one has occurred since he returned on Nov. 10. Not only has Parsons recorded eight sacks in eight games, but the Cowboys have 28 sacks as a team, the most of any NFL team during that span.
- Currently, Parsons has 50 career sacks, becoming just one of five NFL players (since 1982 when sacks became an official stat) to have 50+ sacks in his first four seasons. Others in that group include Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, DeMarcus Ware and Dwight Freeney.
- Parsons has had two games this year with 11 pressures – occurring in Week 1 at Cleveland and then against Cincinnati on Dec. 9.
CeeDee Lamb
- Lamb moves into second place in Cowboys history among wide receivers with four Pro Bowl selections, only behind Michael Irvin, who went five times from 1991-95. Lamb surpassed three selections by Dez Bryant, Tony Hill, Drew Pearson and Bob Hayes.
- Lamb was able to surpass both the 5,000 and 6,000-yard marks this season with 101 catches for 1,194 yards. With two games to play, the Cowboys finally decided to shut down his season after he had played nearly two months with a sprain AC joint in his shoulder.
- Lamb had just three 100-yard receiving games this year, but two in the last two games he played.
Tyler Smith
- Smith becomes just the third guard in NFL history to make two Pro Bowls by the age of 23. He's the eighth Cowboys player at any position to have a pair of Pro Bowl selections before he turns 24.
- Smith has earned his second straight Pro Bowl selection as a guard. He played his 2022 rookie season at left tackle before the full-time move to guard last year.
- The Cowboys have had an offensive linemen selected to the Pro Bowl now in 13 of the last 14 seasons. The only exception was the 2020 season when no Cowboys player made it.
