Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe has expressed strong disapproval of current NFL players, stating they should be "embarrassed" for the demise of the Pro Bowl. The NFL announced this week it is ending the annual all-star game, opting to honor players with a title rather than have them participate in a game that had increasingly lost its competitive edge.
Sharpe, who was selected to eight Pro Bowls during his career as a tight end from 1990 to 2003, drew parallels to issues within the NBA's All-Star Game. He recalled NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's warnings about potentially cutting the game if players did not increase their effort.
"And you NFL players that’s responsible for this that played the last decade, you ought to be embarrassed," Sharpe said on his "Nightcap" podcast. "Because something that’s been going on before your parents were born, you all ruined it. You ended it. Y’all did. Y’all did that. So be proud of yourself."
During Sharpe's playing days, the Pro Bowl was considered a prestigious event. However, in recent years, many high-profile players have opted out to avoid the risk of injury. This led to a situation where lower-tier stars often filled the rosters. Last season, Giants tackle Jermaine Eluemunor described the Pro Bowl as "laughable," noting that players like Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders participated despite limited playing time as a rookie.
The league had attempted to revitalize the event, including introducing a skills competition and a flag football game in 2023. Sharpe's co-host, Chad Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowler himself, commented on the decline.
"It’s gotten so bad, they don’t even wear pads for the Pro Bowl," Johnson said. "They turn it into flag football because the players don’t want to compete... During those times, we actually played for real. They they just they might as well have on flags and obviously to turn into a flag football game and it’s just way the NFL just wasting money."