Apparently, no one told Mac Jones he was merely at the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement.
That's not to say the New England Patriots rookie quarterback lit the world on fire at the game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, but he wound up playing more than any of the AFC's other two quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, finishing the game 12 of 16 passing for 112 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
But Jones did steal the show on a would-be 71-yard touchdown run that was blown dead prematurely due to the...lack of tackling in the Pro Bowl, which the AFC would go on to win over the NFC, 41-35.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Jones, along with teammates Matt Judon, J.C. Jackson and Matthew Slater, helped make it five straight wins for their conference. Jones iced the win for the AFC one play after he was ruled down shy of the sticks, completing a pass to Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris -- a fellow rookie -- on fourth and 2 to secure the victory.
Herbert, who completed 7 of 11 passes for 98 yards, two touchdowns and a pick, managed to beat out Jones for the AFC's offensive MVP.
Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow -- not to be confused with Boston Red Sox slugger Hunter Renfroe -- caught the lone touchdown from Jones in front of his hometown fans. A first-time Pro Bowler, Renfrow is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2022 season.
Jackson, appearing in his first Pro Bowl and possibly his final game with a Patriots decal on his helmet, picked off Russell Wilson, one of four interceptions for the AFC.
Jackson finished the game with three tackles.
Judon, in his third straight Pro Bowl finished as the AFC's leading tackler, with six, and defended a pass. He also seemed to enjoy his surroundings with fans in Vegas, continuing one of his rituals from the regular season with New England.
With the kicking game minimized in the Pro Bowl -- there were no kickoffs or punts in the game -- Slater didn't get many opportunities to flash. But eagle-eyed Mike Reiss of ESPN was able to catch Slater in at safety for a play, hearkening back to his college days at UCLA.
The Pro Bowl was the 10th for Slater, just the second Patriots player to reach double figures. The other one, of course, was the recently-retired Tom Brady, who made 14 of his record 15 Pro Bowl appearances with New England.