Five Green Bay Packers named to Pro Bowl: We hope they don’t play
It was announced tonight that five Green Bay Packers – John Kuhn, Clay Matthews, Josh Sitton, Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson have been selected to the first team of the 2014 Pro Bowl.
In addition to those five, seven others were selected as alternates.
They are T David Bakhtiari, WR Randall Cobb, RB Eddie Lacy, G T.J. Lang, LB Julius Peppers, CB Sam Shields and CB Tramon Williams.
Given that 12 players in all have received this honor is wonderful and well deserved.
Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson (87) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
But frankly, I don’t care if they play in the game or not.
In fact, I prefer that they don’t – because that will mean that the Green Bay Packers have made it to the Super Bowl.
The Pro Bowl in the past decade has become the butt of many jokes as probably the most inconsequential all-star game of all the major league sports on the planet.
Though the league has done some interesting changing to the game, in my mind it’s still just a silly exercise in frivolity.
The fact that there’s no defense played and the effort given by players is non-existent is just part of the nonsense. The fact that players – multi-millionaires at that – don’t want to get hurt is an important factor in making this “game” non-important. It might be fun to watch if you like watching quarterbacks, receivers and running backs play pitch and catch, but if one waits another couple of months, they can watch as the real pitchers and catchers of Major League Baseball get things fired up.
Instead, I would rather watch Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson completing passes in the Super Bowl; I would rather John Kuhn clear a path for Eddie Lacy in the Super Bowl; I would rather watch Josh Sitton blow holes into opposing defensive lines and I would rather watch Clay Matthews get after Tom Brady or Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl.
The Pro Bowl? Let’s hope that some guys from the Lions or Vikings or Bears play in that game. It’s nice these Packers players have been noted for their great season in 2014, but let’s get to the Super Bowl so they don’t have to play in that Mickey Mouse game of the Pro Bowl.
Here is the official press release of the Packers in announcing the Pro Bowl selections:
FIVE PACKERS SELECTED TO THE PRO BOWL
Represented by five members of the team, the Green Bay Packers learned Tuesday that fullback John Kuhn, linebacker Clay Matthews, wide receiver Jordy Nelson, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and guard Josh Sitton were named to the Pro Bowl by the National Football League.
Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers fullback John Kuhn (30) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Green Bay Packers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kuhn was selected to his second career Pro Bowl (2011). His two selections are the third most by a Packers’ fullback, behind Clarke Hinkle (1938-40) and Jim Taylor (1960-64). He has contributed to an offense that is second in the NFL in scoring this season. Kuhn has appeared in every game this year. It is the eighth consecutive season he has played in at least 14 games.
Matthews earns the fifth selection in his six-year career. He passes Bill Forester (1959-62) for the most selections for a Packers’ linebacker. Matthews leads the team with 10 sacks this season. It is his fourth season with 10-plus sacks, which is tied with Reggie White and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila for No. 1 in team history.
It is the first selection for Nelson, who ranks in the top five in the NFL in receiving yards and touchdown receptions (13) this season. His 1,433 receiving yards are the third most by a Packer in a single season. Nelson also became the fourth player in franchise history to reach 90 receptions in the regular season (92).
For Rodgers, it marks the fourth Pro Bowl selection of his career (2009, 2011, 2012). He joins Bart Starr (1960-62, 1966) and Cecil Isbell (1938-39, 1941-42) for the second-most selections by a Green Bay quarterback, trailing Brett Favre’s nine (1992-93, 1995-97, 2001-03, 2007). Rodgers ranks No. 2 in the NFL this season in passer rating (111.0) and touchdown percentage (7.2), is No. 1 in interception percentage (1.0) and No. 3 in touchdown passes (36).
Sitton earns his second career Pro Bowl honor (2012), but his first as an original selection. He is part of an offensive line that has only given up 29 sacks on the season, the fewest by a Green Bay offensive line since 2007 (19). Sitton has also helped block for Eddie Lacy, who is the fifth player in franchise history to record consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.