The Pro Bowl is typically an event where guys are supposed to let up a little and do their best to not injure opponents, and Jimmy Graham felt Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander failed to follow the unwritten rules of the exhibition on Sunday night.
With the NFC trailing by a touchdown and driving late in the fourth quarter, Graham caught a pass over the middle of the field and was immediately popped by Alexander. The Seattle Seahawks tight end was furious and began jawing at his opponents.
Jimmy Graham didn't like getting hit hard from Lorenzo Alexander. #ProBowl pic.twitter.com/zUAuUw2QsK
— Renato Mazariegos (@RPMSports18) January 30, 2017
The play happened so quickly that there wasn’t a whole lot Alexander could have done. Would Graham have preferred it if the defender took out his knee instead of wrapping up? Even in a meaningless game, football is going to be physical.
Ironically, Graham later pushed off of Alexander inside the red zone and got open over the middle. The pass went off his hands and right into the arms of the veteran linebacker, who caught it and sealed a 20-13 win for the AFC.
.@onemangang97 with the INT
The lateral to @aqibtalib21.And @KirkCousins8 with the hustle play! WOW. #ProBowl https://t.co/JERcyrLf84
— NFL (@NFL) January 30, 2017
Alexander, who had by far the best year of his career this season with 76 total tackles and 12.5 sacks, was named the Defensive MVP of the game.
Graham had a difficult road back after he suffered a brutal Achilles injury in November 2015 (video here), so you can understand why he was concerned about getting hurt in the Pro Bowl. Still, football is football. You can only expect guys to let up so much.
