This is irony at its best: an Arizona Cardinal benefits at the expense of a San Francisco 49er.
Linebacker Daryl Washington, originally selected as an alternate to the 2013 Pro Bowl, will now get the start, thanks to 49er linebacker NaVorro Bowman and his team making it to the Super Bowl.
This will be Washington’s first ever Pro Bowl appearance. He’s the first Cardinal linebacker to make the Pro Bowl since Seth Joyner did it in 1994, and he’s just the sixth linebacker in franchise history to be chosen.
Washington definitely put up Pro Bowl type numbers this past season. He led the team with a career-high 140 tackles (110 solo), nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He also recorded two forced fumbles, one interception, a fumble recovery and six passes defensed.
Washington’s nine sacks led all NFL inside linebackers in 2012.
Washington and his NFC teammates will take on the AFC next Sunday at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, HI.
The game will be televised on NBC beginning at 5 p.m.
