Bucs LB White Doesn’t Want To Play In Any More Pro Bowls

It’s been a wild trip for Bucs linebacker Devin White all through his first three years within the NFL. He went from the No. 5 general choose within the 2019 NFL Draft to Tremendous Bowl champion by the top of his second season. Then, in yr three, he earned his first Professional Bowl choice.

Tampa Bay picked up White’s fifth-year choice this offseason, however the 2022 season looks like a pivotal one for the previous LSU Tiger. There are many points to his recreation which might be nice, from his management to his playmaking capability.

It’s the cross protection a part of his ability set that he’s engaged on heading into his fourth season. If he can enhance in that space, he can take the step as much as being one of many NFL’s elite linebackers. And in taking that subsequent step, he’ll see these Professional Bowl honors change into a regularity.

However on Wednesday afternoon, White was sincere about his ideas on the Professional Bowl. He mentioned that, whereas he desires to keep up his standing as an higher echelon participant, taking part in within the recreation itself isn’t in his future plans. He has his sights set on larger achievements.

“Once you’re an excellent participant, you wish to be talked about with one of the best. [But] while you get spoiled by a Tremendous Bowl, you by no means wish to play in a Professional Bowl, I can say that,” White mentioned. “You need the honors, however you don’t wish to play in it.”

Throughout Professional Bowl week in Las Vegas, the Bucs have been contemporary off of their heartbreaking NFC Divisional Spherical loss to the Rams. Those self same Rams, after all, went on to win the Tremendous Bowl. White mentioned that he and his Bucs teammates spent a lot of their time on the Professional Bowl lamenting the truth that they weren’t on the point of compete for a second straight Lombardi Trophy.

“The entire time whereas we have been on the market, clearly we had plenty of teammates on the market, we simply saved saying ‘Rattling, we should always nonetheless be working towards. This isn’t what we would like,’” White mentioned. “However you wish to make one of the best of it as a result of on the finish of the day, it’s nonetheless a chance that we’re grateful for. We’re grateful as a result of we might’ve not made the Professional Bowl and never made the Tremendous Bowl.”

White’s Take On Enhancing The Professional Bowl

Over time, the NFL’s Professional Bowl all-star recreation has felt much less and fewer particular. Fewer gamers appear to attend every year, and people who do are understandably going to do all the things they’ll to keep away from damage. The NFL has tried to tinker with the format, however nothing appears to work. This yr’s Professional Bowl was the least-watched within the final 16 years. So, what may be finished? White mentioned Wednesday that the sport wants physicality and that it nonetheless must really feel like soccer.

“We simply bought to return out swinging, we bought to return out and hit anyone. That’s the one means I really feel, the primary guys which might be on the market, they set the tempo. Should you two-hand contact me, I’m going to two-hand contact you again. And that’s simply the tempo of the sport,” White mentioned. “After I bought in, I used to be making an attempt to get tackles. It was like, I’m out right here, I would as properly simply deal with anyone or get him to the bottom, no matter. Not attempt to be further, further, however at the least get one thing on you. That’s the one factor I’d say, as a result of on the finish of the day it’s nonetheless soccer. All of us love soccer, soccer is enjoyable. That’s the final recreation of the season, let’s have enjoyable with it.”

Accidents are at all times going to be a priority for gamers who select to play within the Professional Bowl. So, on that entrance, it’s onerous to see too many guys desirous to go as onerous as White. However there’s an argument to be made that taking part in at 50% pace might very properly be simply as dangerous by way of damage. So it’s one thing of a pick-your-poison state of affairs. In all probability, the sport will stay a glorified exhibition that serves as an honor for the gamers chosen and an excellent time for his or her households.