Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly has been named to the 2019 Pro Bowl, the team announced Thursday.
Kelly will be replacing Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurice Pouncey, who has dropped out due to an injury. This is Kelly’s first Pro Bowl selection since entering the league as a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Kelly is coming off of a strong season that saw him play all 16 games for the first time since his rookie season. The talent has always been there as the anchor of the offensive line, but injuries have slowed down his progression in recent seasons.
Kelly is widely considered one of the best centers in the NFL. He’s certainly a force in run blocking and his pass protection gives the Colts an advantage every week.
The Colts have Kelly under contract for one more season—his fifth-year option—and then he will become an unrestricted free agent. That is unless the Colts get a contract extension done beforehand, which is in the realm of possibilities.
Kelly will be joining fellow offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard has the Colts representatives at the Pro Bowl.