Why Did Three Bucs O-Linemen Make Pro Bowl? Tom Brady, That’s Why.
December 23rd, 2021
Joe is really surprised the Bucs got five players named to the Pro Bowl (and eight alternates who could make it to Vegas in February — provided the Bucs aren’t in the Super Bowl and provided the NFL even has the damn game because of The Sickness).
Over at the four-letter, there is a breakdown of each team’s Pro Bowl invitees. Jenna Laine explains why the Bucs have the most players representing the team in the Pro Bowl since 2020.
The Bucs are reaping some of the benefits of winning last year’s Super Bowl, and Tom Brady putting up record numbers at age 43. His 4,348 passing yards and 36 touchdowns through Week 15 are most in the NFL, while his offensive line has allowed just 20 sacks, the fewest of any QB in the league. They have eight alternates too: WR Mike Evans, ILB Devin White and S Antoine Winfield Jr. are all first alternates, followed by OG Alex Cappa, RB Leonard Fournette, WR Chris Godwin, TE Rob Gronkowski and DT Vita Vea.
Did you know? The Bucs’ five selections are the franchise’s most named to an initial Pro Bowl roster since 2002. And with his 15th career selection, Brady now has the most Pro Bowl selections of any player in NFL history.
Laine isn’t wrong. What is the connection between 2002 and this year? In the 2002 season, the Bucs won the Super Bowl (and the game was played after the Super Bowl). This season? The Bucs are the defending champs.
It helps to be the king.
As for why the Bucs got three offensive linemen in the Pro Bowl?
Well, look no further than 17-game-loathing, salad-bar-hating, park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, helmet-tossing, football-punting, Bucs-Super-Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady currently leads the NFL in pass attempts with 602. Pat Mahomes is the next-closest with 549.
On the flip side, no full-time starting quarterback has been sacked fewer times than Brady (20), though Kirk Cousins is close (22).
When you lead the league in pass attempts and you are slightly more mobile than a lamp, and you have the fewest sacks, that pretty much means the guys up front are kicking @ss and taking names.
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:26 am
No love for D Smith? Not even as an alternate
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:15 am
Bucs will have 8 guys in by the time it happens. So happy for Ryan Jensen
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:18 pm
After Evans and Godwin, Tristan Wirfs is the the best draft pick in Bucs history
December 23rd, 2021 at 7:56 pm
it’s a good thing the pro bowl vote for our o-line came before Sunday’s fiasco…..it was a total team effort though.
December 24th, 2021 at 9:11 am
Wow. After the most important game down the stretch, a game which broke Brady’s record and heart by being swept TWICE in back to back seasons to divisional opponents (broke last year the record for EVER being swept by a divisional opponent), the entire O-Line was systematically taken apart by stunts and plain old ‘fork-lifting’ into the GOAT QB, Brady never stood a chance. Now how the hell could that have happened? I’ve yet seen a proper review of the O-line play in that game. All I know is that the franchise is lucky that Brady’s season and career wasn’t ended last Sunday nite. I also know that that game took all the fun of playing football out of the GOAT and strengthened Gisele’s hand.