Tom Brady Not Making Pro Bowl for First Time Since 2008 is Only Sure Sign of His Demise

Tom Brady has been an easy choice for the Pro Bowl throughout the past decade, though the waves of change have finally arrived in 2019.

The AFC quarterbacks for the 2020 Pro Bowl were announced on Thursday, and the names included Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Deshaun Watson. No Brady for the first time since the other three selected over him were just little kids.

Brady is surely going to use this as some sort of motivation, even though he is rarely even available for the Pro Bowl game given how often the Patriots advance deep into the postseason.

This is one rare sign of Brady's days of NFL dominance being numbered, at least in popularity. It will take one of the three quarterbacks knocking his Patriots out this postseason for any talk of a true downfall to take place, but it is telling that they're...the only three quarterbacks to beat Brady this year.

Brady is still fourth in the AFC in passing yards with 3,565 and tied for fourth in touchdowns with 21, though he does lead the conference in attempts with a whopping 551, so some detractors can claim he has padded his stats.

Those who are seeking any evidence of Brady losing his place atop the NFL can point to his Pro Bowl absence as the first sign. Yet until his Patriots lose in the playoffs, it is the only sign.