Bears QB Mitch Trubisky to play in Pro Bowl

In his second season, Mitch Trubisky reached a perch no Bears quarterback had in 33 years: the Pro Bowl.

He was named to the all-star game Monday, replacing the Rams’ Jared Goff, who gets to skip it in preparation for the Super Bowl on Feb. 3. Trubisky would’ve wound up in the exhibition game regardless of the outcome of the NFC Championship Game — Drew Brees would’ve pulled out had the Saints won.

Trubisky will be joined on the NFC roster by Brees and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who replaced injured Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers earlier this month. Practice starts Wednesday in Orlando, Florida, and the game will be held Sunday at Camping World Stadium.

Last month, Trubisky said he wasn’t sure what to make of being a Pro Bowl alternate.

“I don’t know — it’s cool to get recognized,” he said. “But, like I said, I definitely don’t feel like I’ve played my best football yet. I feel like you’ve got to appreciate how far you’ve come. Which I have. But I know I still have a long ways to go. . . .

RELATED

• Thank goodness for Patriots, the much-needed object of our hatred

• Bears will play Raiders in London in 2019 as part of NFL’s international series

“I know if I just keep getting better, everything else will take care of itself. But it definitely showed some of the hard work I’ve put in over my time here so far.”

Trubisky, who will be the team’s first Pro Bowl quarterback since Jim McMahon in 1986, is one of three Bears draftees from 2017 who will participate in the game. Returner Tarik Cohen and safety Eddie Jackson, both fourth-round picks two years ago, were selected for the game last month. So was defensive lineman Akiem Hicks and cornerback Kyle Fuller. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack was named to the team but will sit out because of a knee sprain.

Trubisky completed two-thirds of his 434 passes, threw 24 touchdown passes, had a 95.4 passer rating and led the Bears to an 11-3 record in his 14 starts in the regular season.

NOTE: Ted Monachino, who worked alongside new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano with the Colts and Ravens, was named the Bears’ outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant. Monachino, who ran the Colts’ defense under Pagano in 2016 and 2017, left his job as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State after less than a month to join his former boss. He replaced Brandon Staley, who followed former coordinator Vic Fangio to the Broncos.