Aaron Rodgers: “Some Pro Bowlers Embarassed Themselves”

After his appearance in this year's Pro Bowl, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers found himself less than impressed with the play of some players in the game. Rodgers suggested several players looked foolish for their lack of effort on the field in a game that has become a growing joke among many football fans.

In an interview with ESPN 540 in Milwaukee, Rodgers had the following to say:

I'll be honest with you. I was a little bit disappointed. I felt like some of the guys on the NFC side embarrassed themselves.

Rodgers didn't offer any specifics, avoiding calling anyone out in particular. He continued by offering his perspective on playing in the Pro Bowl.

...I took a lot of pride in the way I played. I wanted to make sure I knew the plays. It was our [Packers coaching] staff, which helped out a little bit, but I wanted to know the plays and I wanted to play well, and I wanted to give the fans a show, and make the Green Bay fans who watched and were watching for me and my teammates, I wanted to make them proud of their Pro Bowlers. I was just surprised that some of the guys either didn't want to play or when they were in there didn't put any effort into it.

Rodgers' comments aren't anything groundbreaking. It may be the first time a high-profile player has spoken out on the issue, but the Pro Bowl has long been an obvious paid vacation for the players and coaching staff. What can be done to make the game a more worthwhile experience for the fans? I'm not really sure. It is something that comes up in the news every year in some way and the NFL talks about ways to remedy the problem every year; but there really isn't a brilliant suggestion to surface as of yet.