Getty One of Mike Tomlin's former players for the Pittsburgh Steelers ripped the Pro Bowl festivities on February 5.
It’s safe to say that Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame left guard Alan Fanaca is not a fan of what’s happened to the NFL Pro Bowl.
He didn’t rip into the new Pro Bowl festivities that the NFL installed for 2023. But while appearing on The Mission podcast with Pro Football Hall of Fame Producer Jamir Howerton, Fanaca explained that he doesn’t understand how the event reached this point.
“I don’t know where it went down the line, and I don’t have any idea as to when they got to the two-hand touch a couple years ago,” Fanaca said, shaking his head while Howerton was beginning to ask a question about the Pro Bowl. “But that just threw it out the door for me right there.
“I don’t know what happened there.”
As much as the Pro Bowl is an exhibition, Hall of Famer @afan66 also says that participating in the NFL’s All-Star festivities was a career highlight. #ProBowlGames
Fanaca is no stranger to the Pro Bowl either, as he earned nine straight trips to the NFL All-Star event from 2001-09. Seven of those Pro Bowl berths came while he was a member of the Steelers.
Mike Webster and Maurkice Pouncey are the only offensive linemen in Steelers history with more Pro Bowl appearances than Fanaca.
Fanaca Loved Pro Bowl During His Career
Sometimes, the NFL can actually be too popular of a product for its own good. That may be the case with the Pro Bowl.
At least that’s what Fanaca seemed to imply during his guest appearance on The Mission podcast. He described the Pro Bowl as “an exhibition game” where “everyone is beat up” at the end of the season. Naturally, it’s not going to hold the same stakes as a game that counts.
Therein lies the issue, according to Fanaca.
“I think when a lot of the criticism came down on it was people were just thirsty for more football,” Fanaca said. “They wanted one more Super Bowl. That’s what they wanted.
“They wanted more action.”
It doesn’t help that a lot of the megastars don’t go to the Pro Bowl anymore. Big names often opt out of the event, which causes the NFL to bring in reserves, who are usually far less deserving to be there.
Fanaca admitted to being so honored for the chance to go to the Pro Bowl that he once elected to push off his shoulder surgery so he could play in the NFL All-Star game.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed the [Pro Bowl] games,” Fanaca said. “You enjoyed meeting guys that you’ve been going against. Just a really good time.
“I always enjoyed it, and I was always honored to go out there and play and be a participant.”
The NFL’s New Pro Bowl Format
Over the last decade, the league tried a lot of different ways to make the Pro Bowl more exciting. Some of the fixes worked but only in the short term until the event underwent a major revamp to “The Pro Bowl Games” this year.
This season’s Pro Bowl was the beginning of a multi-day AFC vs. NFC competition, showcasing skills from the best players in the league during a plethora of challenges and concluding with a flag-football game in Las Vegas.
Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald called the event absurd, silly and fun.
It’s not an event for the old-school football fan. There were no helmets all weekend, and the only hitting performed was by accident (Jalen Ramsey nailed Tyreek Hill on one play).
But it was entertaining while the players engaged in an event with far less injury risk than an actual football game.
Fanaca might prefer the old Pro Bowl format, but that appears to be gone the way of the dodo.