Kyle Terada – USA Today Sports
Well, there goes my sole reason for pretending to care about the Pro Bowl.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was selected as the starting NFC quarterback in the Pro Bowl, has announced that he will not play in the star-studded game.
Speaking on his weekly radio show, Rodgers revealed that he would not participate in the Pro Bowl because he did not pass his physical. The quarterback referred to “multiple lower extremities” injuries, singling out an ankle injury he suffered about a month ago as the most prominent of his ailments. Rodgers said that the ankle injury has “definitely been a problem” this season.
In his season-ending press conference, Green Bay head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Rodgers’ had failed his physical, though he highlighted a knee issue. McCarthy declined to give any more information on the knee injury.
Rodgers may regret missing the free trip to Hawaii, but I doubt he’ll miss playing in the actual game. Rodgers made headlines last year when he criticized the game and the effort of his NFC teammates. His complaints renewed the annual debate of whether or not the NFL should even bother playing the Pro Bowl, since it’s generally very boring for the fans and pretty embarrassing for the players, given their half-hearted (not even – quarter-hearted? 10%-hearted?) energy level.
It’s no big deal that Rodgers will not appear in this just-for-show scrimmage, except to fans like me who pout and refuse to acknowledge the fact that any other NFL teams may still be playing after the Packers were knocked out of the playoffs. With a long offseason ahead of him, there doesn’t seem to be any concern about Rodgers’ injuries.
Rodgers did apologize to Green Bay fans who would be making the trip to Honolulu.
