The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a decent amount of representation at the Pro Bowl for the first time in a while, as Russell Wilson accepted an invite to the games on Tuesday. Wilson's Pro Bowl status should be questioned by many, as the quarterback missed the first six games of the season with a calf injury and then finished the year on an ugly note. The Pro Bowl has arguably been ruined by the NFL for years now, and it is at the point where the two sides don't even put on pads anymore. It is all for show.
Wilson has earned his 10th Pro Bowl selection for his performance during the 2024 season, but there is certainly an asterisk next to this one. It was announced on Tuesday that Wilson will be replacing Lamar Jackson, who opted out of the Pro Bowl. Josh Allen also decided not to play in the games, which led to him being replaced by Drake Maye. Apparently both CJ Stroud and Bo Nix declined an invite as well before one was extended to Wilson.
It is safe to say it isn't much of an honor anymore to be named a Pro Bowler. That was solidified after Tyler Huntley somehow made the Pro Bowl back in 2022. Too many of the league's stars decide to opt out of the games, or decide not to play because they are recovering from injuries that they sustained throughout the year.
Both Maye and Wilson do not deserve to be in the Pro Bowl, but the NFL had positions that needed to be filled. It happens every year, not to mention the players that end up going to the Super Bowl who cannot attend the annual All-Star event.
JJ Watt went to a few Pro Bowls throughout his career in the NFL, and he had enough after he saw some of the replacements get announced by the NFL.
The NFL had to go through four quarterbacks before inviting Wilson to the Pro Bowl, which makes it clear that Watt's statement is absolutely correct. Anyone that is willing to participate in the games is able to, especially when all the stars are pulling out or are too injured to play. This was the case with TJ Watt, who opted out of the Pro Bowl this year because he has injuries lingering from the season.
Some fans argue it is about time that the NFL gets rid of the Pro Bowl completely. Still have the voting process and give the deserving players the title of being a Pro Bowler, but the spectacle of the Pro Bowl is seemingly over to many. Whoever the first player is to say yes to the NFL gets to go, which is not what the Pro Bowl should be about.
Steelers Will Have Some Of The Most Pro Bowlers For The 2024 Season
The Steelers would have had seven Pro Bowlers in attendance for the 2024 season, but with TJ opting out, they only have six. Isaac Seumalo, Miles Killebrew, and Wilson were all named as replacements, while Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cam Heyward, and Chris Boswell were voted in as starters.
Only two teams in the NFL will have more Pro Bowlers in attendance than the Steelers, and those teams are the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens. It's tough to find a solution for the Pro Bowl, but there is no doubt that viewership has dropped dramatically ever since the NFL got rid of the actual game and replaced it with flag football and a bunch of trivial challenges.
