Quenton Nelson on Thursday was named to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl, but the Colts' left guard deflected much of the praise back on his teammates and coaches.
"It's definitely a byproduct of who I get to play next to, with Ryan (Kelly) and Bernhard (Raimann), and getting to play next to Gonz (Matt Goncalves) and Bort (Tanor Bortolini) and Danny (Pinter) too," Nelson said. "Really thankful for those guys and coach (Tony) Sparano (Jr.) and coach (Chris) Watt for their coaching, because I feel like they've helped me a ton. Can't do it without them."
Ask around the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, though, and you'll find plenty of praise for Nelson, who running back Jonathan Taylor described as a "gold standard" for his professionalism, work ethic and relentless dedication.
"It's the mentality that he brings every day," head coach Shane Steichen said. "Obviously, he has the physical traits that you want at that position. But again, it's the physical traits, but it's also his mind too – the way he sees the game. The ultimate student of the game. He's always watching tape. I mean you walk through there on a Tuesday, whatever day it is, we're done with meetings, he's in that o-line room, studying and grinding and getting better. So, it's a testament to him and the way he works."
Nelson is the eighth player in Colts history to earn a place in seven Pro Bowls, joining seven players who are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
| Player | Postion | # Pro Bowls | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peyton Manning | QB | 11 | 1999-2010 |
| Gino Marchetti | DE | 11 | 1954-1964 |
| Johnny Unitas | QB | 10 | 1957-1967 |
| Marvin Harrison | WR | 8 | 1999-2006 |
| Jim Parker | T/G | 8 | 1958-1965 |
| Dwight Freeney | DE | 7 | 2003-2011 |
| Lenny Moore | HB | 7 | 1956-1964 |
| Quenton Nelson | OG | 7 | 2018-2024 |
Nelson is also the 20th player in NFL history to make seven Pro Bowls in his first seven seasons, per Stathead, joining:
- WR Tyreek Hill (2016-2022)
- DT Aaron Donald (2014-2020)
- CB Patrick Peterson (2011-2017)
- WR A.J. Green (2011-2017)
- T Joe Thomas (2007-2013)
- LB Patrick Willis (2007-2013)
- T Richmond Webb (1990-1996)
- RB Barry Sanders (1989-1995)
- LB Derrick Thomas (1989-1995)
- LB Lawrence Taylor (1981-1987)
- RB Franco Harris (1972-1978)
- DT Joe Green (1969-1975)
- LB Dick Butkus (1965-1971)
- C Jon Morris (1964-1970)
- DB Mel Renfro (1964-1970)
- DT Merlin Olsen (1962-1968)
- RB Jim Brown (1957-1963)
- LB Les Richter (1954-1960)
- OL Lou Creekmur (1950-1956)
Of those 20 players, 13 are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, two are still active (Hill, Nelson) and three recently stopped playing (Green, Peterson, Donald). For Nelson to be on the same list as titans of the game – Donald, Thomas, Taylor, Butkus, Brown among them – is a testament to everything he is as a professional.
"That's the key word, consistency," defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. "I know the type of player and person Q is. He comes, he puts in his work each and every offseason, throughout the season, putting in (overtime) and extra work, and it comes to fruition each and every year. It's been fun to see his career grow the way it is. Even through the ups and downs of whether the team is doing well, I know Q is going to show up each and every day and he's going to do his job at a high level."
Nelson enters the final week of the 2024 season among the NFL's top five starting guards in Pro Football Focus run block grade (83.0) and pass block grade (78.8). But those are subjective measures from an outside organization; what endears Nelson to the other guys in the Colts' locker room goes beyond how he plays and how he's viewed outside 56th Street.
"He's the ultimate team guy," center Ryan Kelly said. "I think back at some of the leadership styles he's kind of grown through, the growing pains, the injuries he's played through just like a lot of people. (He's) a great teammate, truly cares about the guys he plays with."
