The Pro Bowl used to mean something. At least, that’s the message coming loud and clear from a few former NFL stars after the league’s latest roster decision raised more than a few eyebrows.
Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is headed to the Pro Bowl-yes, that Shedeur Sanders, the one who threw seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season, finishing with a passer rating of 68.1. He was named as a replacement for Drake Maye, who, of course, won’t be available after leading the New England Patriots to Super Bowl 60.
And let’s just say the reaction from some former NFL greats has been less than enthusiastic.
Tyrann Mathieu, a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the defining safeties of the 2010s, didn’t hold back. On his “In The Bayou” podcast, Mathieu said, “We cannot reward mediocrity… If you have more interceptions than touchdowns, there’s no way you should be rewarded.”
It’s a blunt take-but one rooted in the pride many former players feel about what the Pro Bowl used to represent. For Mathieu, who helped anchor the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense en route to a Super Bowl 4 title and earned First-team All-Pro honors three times, the idea of a quarterback with more picks than touchdowns making the Pro Bowl doesn’t sit right.
Ndamukong Suh, another member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and a five-time Pro Bowler, took to social media to echo that sentiment. While he didn’t name Sanders directly, his message was crystal clear: “Making the Pro Bowl used to be way different! You really had to be ELITE… If you made it, it meant the guys lining up across from you knew you were a problem.”
Suh, who won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020 and built his legacy as one of the most disruptive defensive tackles of his era, knows what it means to earn that kind of respect. For him-and many others-the Pro Bowl was more than just a midseason exhibition. It was a badge of honor.
And this isn’t just about Sanders. Joe Flacco, Sanders’ former teammate in Cleveland, also made the Pro Bowl this year at age 41.
Flacco went 2-8 as a starter between the Browns and Bengals, with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Solid?
At times. Pro Bowl-worthy?
That’s where the debate heats up.
The NFL has tried to tweak the Pro Bowl over the years, shifting formats and adding skills competitions to boost fan engagement. But the core issue remains: when players with underwhelming seasons are selected, it raises questions about what the honor even means anymore.
For veterans like Mathieu and Suh, the concern isn’t just about one player-it’s about the broader message being sent. The Pro Bowl, once a celebration of the league’s best, is starting to feel more like a popularity contest or a consolation prize.
Sanders, of course, is still early in his NFL journey. And there’s no doubt he brings name recognition and intrigue, especially as the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. But in a league where performance is supposed to matter most, the backlash to his selection is a reminder that respect in the NFL isn’t given-it’s earned.
And if the Pro Bowl is going to hold any weight moving forward, the league may need to take a hard look at how those selections are made. Because for the guys who built their careers on being the best of the best, seeing those standards slip isn’t just frustrating-it’s personal.