Khalil Mack was named to his seventh Pro Bowl this season, but he won’t participate in the event. The league announced that Bradley Chubb will replace Mack, since he withdrew due to an injury.
Mack played all 17 games for the Chargers this season and finished with eight sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. It was a resurgence of sorts, since Mack missed 10 games for the Bears last season with a foot injury.
Ryan Pace brought Mack to the Bears in 2018 in the hopes that he could be the final piece for a championship caliber defense. Initially, it looked like the move of the century. Mack had 12.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries as Vic Fangio built the most dominant defense in the league. But the offense and special teams lagged behind the defense, and the Bears fell in the Wild Card round that year. Mack and the Bears were never able to recreate that success again.
Ryan Poles began his tenure as Bears GM with a splash when he traded Mack to the Chargers in March 2022, in exchange for a second-round pick in 2022 and a sixth-rounder in 2023. Those picks eventually turned into Jaquan Brisker, Trenton Gill and Elijah Hicks (Poles traded that ‘23 sixth-round pick back to the Chargers for two seventh-round picks in 2022.)
In addition to the seven Pro Bowls, Mack has been named to three All-Pro First Teams, one All-Pro Second Team and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.