Anthony Sherman Silences Critics, Dominates 2019 Pro Bowl

Each year, without fail, there is a debate over the inclusion of the fullback position in the Pro Bowl. Many people believe the position is outdated and to select a fullback to the Pro Bowl is to paint an inaccurate picture of what today’s NFL offenses really look like.

This time around, UConn alumnus Anthony Sherman was the AFC’s Pro Bowl selection and consequently became the subject of the old fullback debate.

Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk concluded that “Sherman didn’t belong on the Pro Bowl team” and that the pro bowl roster was “more in line with what football looked like in 1960 than what it looks like in 2018.”

Listen, hypotheticals are all well and good, and half the fun of being a sports fan is having these arguments about utterly meaningless topics, but if you went into the 2019 Pro Bowl questioning the skills of Anthony Sherman, you are kicking yourself today.

Sherman showed the world what UConn fans and the Kansas City Chiefs already knew: that the ‘Sausage With Hands’ is one of the most talented players in football.

Sherman was a key blocker for the most explosive offense in football. He provided a safety blanket receiving option for one of the best young quarterbacks in the history of the game. He could even run the ball on occasion — one time for two yards back in early December.

But all of that pales in comparison to his performance on Sunday afternoon. Squaring off against the best defense that the NFC could muster, Sherman sliced his way to 92 receiving yards on three receptions and 11 yards rushing, including a one-yard touchdown up the middle.

He scored the touchdown on a hand off from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and caught a pass from Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts. But the biggest highlight came from his 49-yard catch and run with the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson under center.

As an extra bonus for UConn fans, Sherman ends the play by flipping the ball to the referee, only to have it batted down by fellow Husky Pro Bowler Byron Jones. It’s clear that Jones simply can’t resist knocking footballs out of the air. He loves it.

You can’t take anything away from Sherman’s dominance out there. He was often wide-open, he fought for extra yards, and he did it all from an ‘outdated position’.

The highlights were something to behold. Be on the look out for a few late hits by Byron Jones, who recorded one tackle in Orlando. You can also catch Jones mic’d up at the Pro Bowl practice earlier in the week.