INDIANAPOLIS —Eric Ebron has talked the talk and walked the walk in his first season with the Indianapolis Colts.
Not surprisingly, he's being recognized for his efforts.
The National Football League announced tonight that Ebron has been selected to his first-career Pro Bowl. He becomes the fifth tight end selected to the Pro Bowl in Colts franchise history, joining John Mackey, Ken Dilger, Dallas Clark and Jack Doyle, who was selected last season.
Ebron was the 10th-overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, where he played the first four seasons of his career. He had solid production while in Detroit — 186 receptions for 2,070 yards with 11 touchdowns — but the team decided not to bring him back for his fifth year in 2018.
With a brand new coaching staff in place, Ebron was viewed as a perfect piece in Colts head coach Frank Reich's offense, however. Ebron signed a reported two-year deal with Indianapolis in March, and his major role and production have played out just as planned.
Ebron has appeared in all 14 games with seven starts this season, and has caught 59 passes for 662 yards and a career-best 12 touchdowns. He also has a rushing touchdown on the season.
Among NFL tight ends, he ranks first in receiving touchdowns, sixth in receptions and fifth in receiving yards. His 12 receiving touchdowns are tied for the second-most in the league among all positions.
"What he has shown me and us as a team repeatedly, he practices hard, he focuses in hard, he's really smart, he pays attention to detail," Reich said of Ebron. "I think that's why we are seeing him have the year he is having.
Quarterback Andrew Luck certainly hasn't been shy about throwing No. 85's way all season, but says Ebron's season to this point has been no accident.
"He is working really, really, really hard," Luck said. "He's certainly got some God-given gifts that not many other people have. He's making the most out of it. He can run – he runs really, really good routes. I think he understands defenses really well.
"I think he is buying into all the little things," Luck continued. "We all see him catch great touchdown passes, but he is doing some unbelievable stuff in the run game, on third down, on first and second down. He has really been an integral part of this locker room."
Ebron will join rookie guard Quenton Nelson as the two Colts representatives at the 2019 Pro Bowl, which kicks off at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
