In the second year of Mike Zimmer’s stint as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, safety Harrison Smith was elected to the Pro Bowl. The year was 2015, Teddy Bridgewater was the team’s undisputed starting quarterback, Minnesota won the NFC North, Blair Walsh canceled a playoff run, and Smith earned the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl nods.
Smith was not chosen for the Pro Bowl phantasm game in 2020. His five-season streak ceased. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Pro Bowl will not be physically played. Why is that significant? Because no alternates will be tapped to replace Super Bowl-bound personnel — the rosters are cemented.