The Pro Bowl is almost here and ahead of one of the most fun and entertaining games of the season, we take a look at the top five all time moments in the exhibition match.
5. Jeff Saturday switches sides for one last Peyton Manning snap
Jeff Saturday faced off against Peyton Maning in the 2013 Pro bowl which marked the Colts and Packers’ star final game in the NFL and the veteran centre certainly wasn’t going to miss the chance to snap one final ball for Peyton Manning.
Manning spent 12 years playing with Saturday at the Colts, with the duo winning the Super Bowl in 2006 while Manning earned himself dour MVP awards in the process. Saturday enjoyed playing every season with the hall of fame QB bar his rookie season and was named in the first team All-pro twice through his career.
Jeff Saturday switching teams to take one last snap with Peyton Manning is still one of the best #ProBowl moments. 🙌 (via @nflthrowback)
📺: 2020 #ProBowl | TODAY 3pm ET on ESPN + ABC pic.twitter.com/mADOJhgpWG
— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2020
In the 2013 Pro Bowl Manning and Saturday found themselves on opposite sides for once, however Saturday was allowed to switch teams for one final play with Manning before he called it quits on a glowing NFL career.
4. Manning labels teammate Mike Vanderjagt as Colts’ ‘Idiot Kicker’
Manning features yet again on our list with one of his team-mates at the time, as the 14 time Pro Bowler branded Mike Vanderjagt as Colts’ ‘Idiot Kicker’ after the Bowl in 2003.
Every moment on this list features a play or something that happened in the game, however our number four moment at the Pro Bowl involved Peyton Manning’s words after the game to his teammate and Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt.
Vanderjagt criticised Manning’s leadership abilities after the Colts’ 41-0 loss to the Packers in 2003 and the Hall of Famer certainly didn’t holdback with his response to the kicker:
“I’m out at my third Pro Bowl, I’m about to go in and throw a touchdown to Jerry Rice, we’re honoring the Hall of Fame, and we’re talking about our idiot kicker who got liquored up and ran his mouth off. The sad thing is, he’s a good kicker. He’s a good kicker. But he’s an idiot.”
3. Jack Youngblood plays with broken bone in his leg
In the 1980 Pro Bowl, Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood played with a broken bone in his leg, defying all odds to play in the one-off game at all costs.
Youngblood picked up an injury in the playoffs just weeks before however the star was determined to be involved in the Pro Bowl and was able to somehow play with a broken fibula.
“Well, you don’t want to miss that party. It was a great opportunity. We had I think seven or eight guys going from the Rams that year, and when you’re going to Honolulu, that’s not a bad destination. I knew they were going to take it easy on me and I wasn’t going to have to do a whole lot, but I wanted to play in that game. You wanted to be a part of that party, trust me.”
2. Bulger and Manning provide highest-scoring Pro Bowl ever
Peyton Manning features on our list yet again, however the game that saw the most points scored in a Pro Bowl ever just misses out on top spot in our list.
107 combined points. This was the highest-scoring Pro Bowl ever! (Feb. 8, 2004) [via @nflthrowback]
📺: 2020 #ProBowl | Sunday 3pm ET on ESPN pic.twitter.com/V9Zbgp6J5B
— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2020
The 2004 Pro Bowl saw a total of 107 points scored, as the NFC just edged out their rivals in a tight 55-52 game. The high-scoring match set all sorts of future records, as Manning set Pro Bowl records for attempts (41), completions (22), and yards (342).
With 14 touchdowns in the game, the 2004 Pro Bowl was one of the best advertisements of the game that we have ever seen and still goes down as one of the best NFL Pro Bowl games of all time.
1. Sean Taylor flattens Brian Moorman
Those who say players take it easy in the Pro Bowl and don’t hit as hard as they do in the regular season need to take just one look at this Sean Taylor tackle on Brian Moorman in 2007 to realise how wrong they are.
In honor of today’s Pro Bowl, flashback to 2006 when Sean Taylor absolutely leveled Bills punter Brian Moorman. pic.twitter.com/GPAcmSppfT
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 26, 2020
As Bills Punter Brian Moorman sprinted past the 50, evading opposing tacklers left right and centre it looked for a moment like the he might slip through the defence for at least a first down. Sean Taylor said no.
Taylor who tragically lost his life later that year came from nowhere to absolutely flatten the onrushing Moorman to the floor and to everyones surprise the player got straight back up and shook Taylor’s hand to commend the tackle before playing on.
The tackle was a brilliant advert for the NFL and the Pro Bowl which is why it is our favourite moment on the list.
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