The disheartening reason why 23 NFL players dropped out of the Pro Bowl

The NFL gamers who make it to the Tremendous Bowl at all times sit out the Professional Bowl. That is nothing new. However this 12 months, the NFL introduced the ultimate rosters and there are a number of gamers who made deep playoff runs, however didn’t make it to the Tremendous Bowl, who’ve additionally opted out of enjoying within the 2025 Professional Bowl Video games.

The checklist contains Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Payments quarterback Josh Allen, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, and Ravens working again Derrick Henry. The checklist goes on. There are actually 24 alternates changing the originally-selected gamers.

Why NFL gamers are opting out of the Professional Bowl this 12 months

Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye will exchange Jackson, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will exchange Allen, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will exchange Daniels, and Payments working again James Cook dinner will exchange Henry.

A Professional Bowl choice was once thought of an unlimited honor, however now a number of gamers are electing to not play. Not way back, the NFL modified the sport from its previous, all-star format to a abilities competitors – The “Professional Bowl Video games”, which options flag soccer, dodgeball, and different competitions. That hasn’t appeared to assist a lot. Actually, it could have made it even worse.

The 2024 Professional Bowl Video games introduced in a mean of simply 5.793 million viewers throughout ESPN networks – the NFL’s lowest variety of viewers for a Professional Bowl moreover their 2021 digital celebration through the Covid-19 pandemic.

And whereas Jackson, Allen, and Lions large receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown all cited accidents as the explanation for his or her sitting out, different gamers it appears are simply genuinely not . Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud even declined to be an alternate. Reality be advised, it won’t be all that fascinating to observe both if it’s not going to incorporate nearly all of stars.

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