One part of the NFL that has more questions than answers is the Pro Bowl. It is one of the most confusing processes in the NFL because there is no rhyme or reason for who gets selected as an alternate. This season, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders was named to the Pro Bowl team, and one NFL analyst did not mince words about the process.
NFL Analysts Blast Pro Bowl Election Process To Name Shedeur Sanders
Sanders is not the first unworthy player to be selected to the Pro Bowl, but he is the latest, and his nomination should bring change to the game.
According to First Things First, Chris Broussard said, “This is embarrassing. Not for him, for the league, for football. This is terrible. This has literally become a participation trophy. And he’s not the first.”
Broussard was not happy with Sanders making the Pro Bowl team, and rightfully so. He threw 1400 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games. Also, he threw 10 interceptions.
According to the PFSN’s NFL QB impact metric, Shedeur was ranked 46th with an F Grade and an impact score of 56.9.
It is embarrassing that he was given a Pro Bowl nod when that honor matters to All-Decade teams and Hall of Fame candidacy.
Shedeur Sanders to replace Drake Maye in Pro Bowl. @Chris_Broussard reacts:
“This is embarrassing. Not for him, for the league, for football. This is terrible. This has literally become a participation trophy. And he’s not the first.” pic.twitter.com/y2MNd6XxuF
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) January 27, 2026
We saw something similar a few years back when Tyler Huntley was named to the Pro Bowl after only six games and threw 2 touchdowns. It is clear that the process needs to be changed so that undeserving players are not labeled “pro bowlers.”
One way to easily fix the Pro Bowl is to give nominations only to players who were selected for the original team. Anyone who becomes an alternate is not given a Pro Bowl selection on their ledger.
While it may seem like a small thing, these things matter for the game’s legacy, and the NFL needs to change them.
The skills contest and game are just for fun, so no one should really care who participates. However, the right to be named a Pro Bowler should be reserved for the original roster, which would cause a lot of headaches for fans and historians of the game.
