The controversy surrounding Shedeur Sanders’ Pro Bowl nod has reached such a magnitude that many are questioning the legitimacy of the event. The QB clearly did not have the stats to deserve the selection.
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Sanders threw 7 TDs to 10 INTs in the 2025 season and struggled immensely at times while trying to find his way as a rookie. He didn’t even start until Week 12 of the season. Understandably, his selection to the Pro Bowl has sparked backlash.
Many fans are questioning how Sanders was selected over someone like Trevor Lawrence, who led his Jaguars to the playoffs. Former NFL MVP Cam Newton isn’t surprised by the decision at all. He says the league knew exactly what it was doing.
“When you talk about how did Shedeur make it and they ain’t even got Trevor Lawrence? Man, look, bro, it’s a popularity contest at the end of the day. Because it’s still a business,” Newton began on his podcast, 4th & 1.
“They looked around and said, ‘Hey man, we’ve still got to meet our visual quota. Who’s gonna be the bigger story?’ We knew we were going to get y’all to rage bait,” added the former QB.
It’s hard to disagree with Newton. But what’s crazy is that the Pro Bowl is the equivalent of basketball’s All-Star game. It’s supposed to showcase the best players from that season, not the most popular.
By the end of their careers, Pro Bowl selections are often used to judge a player’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame. But Newton doesn’t think the Pro Bowl we watch has that aura anymore.
The Panthers legend then explained why the game feels less important than it used to. “Given the circumstances of what the Pro Bowl is and what it used to be is two different Pro Bowls… That ain’t nothing but a flag football game,” Newton said.
“See, I was still playing when they had real pads. They were ti**y bumping, but they weren’t out there colliding, like Sean Taylor hit that punter. It was one of those things, like, we’re still playing football, respectful to people’s careers,” he added.
Nowadays, players compete in 7-on-7 flag football in a multi-day format at the event. The action revolves around skills challenges and fan-voted participation. It is completely different from how it used to be.
It is a fact that Pro Bowls and other All-Star events across sports are facing somewhat of a crisis right now. Viewership is in the gutter, and fans continue to question the importance of what is ultimately an exhibition game.
In the NFL, selections such as Shedeur’s are making us doubt whether All-Pro selections are a good way to categorize the best of the best. So, we may need to rethink how we judge future Hall of Famers by placing less emphasis on Pro Bowl selections.
