Tyler Eifert has missed so much time with injury this year that he’s probably not going to be invited to the Pro Bowl.
And since the Pro Bowl was the beginning of those injury problems, Eifert said he wouldn’t play this year if he was picked.
“I’d like to make it, but I’m not going to go if I got asked,” the Bengals tight end said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com.
Eifert suffered an ankle injury in last year’s all-star game, and he needed surgery which delayed the start of his 2016 season. Coupled with back problems, he missed six games this year. His numbers have been fine when he was in the lineup (24 catches for 394 yards and five touchdowns), but that only makes him wonder what might have been if not for the injury.
“It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Eifert said the Pro Bowl. “But it’s just not worth it.”
Eifert’s also not thrilled about the prospect of a game in Orlando (a concern shared by Lions cornerback Darius Slay), as the temptation of a trip to Hawaii was enough to convince some players the exhibition game was worth the risk.
It’ll be interesting once rosters are announced tonight to see how many players come up with reasons not to play, and it’s likely many who don’t have as good reason to be bitter as Eifert finding them.
