Tennessee Titans Jurrell Casey not healthy enough to play in Pro Bowl
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (99) celebrates sacking Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) (not pictured) during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey was snubbed off of the original Pro Bowl team, but he could have played in the showcase game as an alternate for San Francisco 49ers 3-4 defensive end Justin Smith, who unsurprisingly decided to pull out of the game. However, the Nashville Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt reports that Casey has not been medically cleared for the Pro Bowl due to a knee injury that caused him to miss the final week of the season.
Casey actually wouldn’t have played even if he were healthy, as Wyatt reports that he felt he was snubbed and would have simply bowed out due to him originally being left off of the list. As it stands now, Buffalo Bills excellent DT Marcell Dareus will take Casey’s place in the Pro Bowl and will join fellow star Bills DL Kyle Williams on the team.
One of the most underrated players in the game, Casey was definitely snubbed off of the team, and it just seems like he never gets his due. Although Casey has been an excellent pass rushing DT ever since coming into the league in 2011, the USC product has never received national recognition for is standout work. Even after a breakout 2013 season that featured a whopping 10.5 sacks (extremely difficult to obtain as a DT) and 54 total tackles, Casey still hasn’t received nearly enough praise, with only Titans fans and the sharpest of NFL observers noting his superior play.