Over the past few days as players continue to drop out of the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, many media members have shared their opinions on how the honor of being named a Pro Bowler has become more and more diluted.
Former Houston Texans star turned CBS NFL analyst JJ Watt was among the many who shared their frustrations with the 25 opt-outs for the Pro Bowl Game, taking to X to joke that the game should now be called the “Participation Bowl”.
When you get 5 alternates deep, just call it the Participation Bowl.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 28, 2025
Dan Patrick offered a solution to help distinguish those who are participating in the Pro Bowl Games based on their accolades throughout the season and those who were added to the event due to an opt-out.
During Wednesday’s edition of his show, The Dan Patrick Show, Patrick suggested that the NFL should designate the jerseys of alternates in the game to tell them apart from those initially voted into the event.
“It’s the scarlet letter,” said Patrick. “I want to apply it to the NFL and it’s a big A. It’s the Pro Bowl alternate. JJ Watt, he was saying that it is now kind of a participatory award. ‘Hey, you made the Pro Bowl.’ Well, not really… You get to go play dodgeball. I think you have to make sure you have this designation if you are an alternate. They are just looking for people to participate. That’s all. It shouldn’t count on your resume. Because it used to. Maybe it still does.
“If you have three quarterbacks make the Pro Bowl in the AFC and NFC. Or if you just want to do First Team Pro Bowl quarterback and that counts on your resume. Because once we get to the sixth alternate here. Vince Young, who is it Tyler Huntley, didn’t he make it? Vince Young was twice an alternate. Made the Pro Bowl, it’s on your resume. It helps players get into the Hall of Fame. You have to differentiate.”
DP suggests the #NFL should mark players who make the Pro Bowl as alternates with a visible distinction on their helmet or jersey—a “Scarlet Letter” of sorts. pic.twitter.com/PjccwgPCr0
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) January 29, 2025
Patrick does raise a very solid argument. How many times have you heard how many Pro Bowls someone has made as an argument for someone’s case to make the Hall of Fame?
Maybe everyone needs to collectively needs to put less weight into what being a Pro Bowler traditionally means about a player. But at least if there was some sort of distinction as Patrick is suggesting, fans and the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee alike could put the correct amount of weight into what making a Pro Bowl means.
