Packers DT Mike Daniels finally makes a Pro Bowl

It has been a long time coming for Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels, but he finally achieved some recognition for his efforts from the NFL. Daniels is headed to the Pro Bowl this season, his first such honor.

To be fair, however, Daniels has been deserving of Pro Bowl and All-Pro designations for some time now.

Daniels was named as the NFC’s first alternate defensive tackle when rosters were announced a few weeks ago. The withdrawal of Rams tackle Aaron Donald due to an injury opened up the spot for Daniels, who had been an alternate each of the previous two years as well but was not eventually added to the roster.

This season, Daniels played in and started 14 games, recording five sacks and a forced fumble. That came on the heels of two straight four-sack seasons. Pairing Daniels with second-year pro Kenny Clark made the Packers’ defensive interior a force to be reckoned with, and Clark will likely be due for some Pro Bowl nods of his own in the next few years.

The NFC’s defensive tackle spot has been highly competitive in recent years, however, with Donald being an annual participant and several other excellent players manning the position. That more than anything else is probably the reason that Daniels had to wait until his sixth year to make an appearance in the NFL’s annual All-Star Game, which will this year be held in Orlando the Sunday before Super Bowl LII.