NFL: 25 Most Surprising Pro Bowl Picks This Century

NFL: 25 Most Surprising Pro Bowl Picks This Century: 20. 2008 Sean Taylor

This one will take some explanation. Sean Taylor is one of the greatest safeties in the history of the game. This isn’t just saying it because something bad happened to him. Taylor was one of the best to ever suit up. He deserved to make the Pro Bowl as a safety every single year. Maybe that’s why the Pro Bowl named Sean Taylor to the team in 2007-08, since that was the year he passed away.

Taylor was killed during a botched robbery in the middle of the 2007 season for Washington. It was a devastating day for the NFL. Taylor was a hard hitter, but despite his devastating blows on the field, many were moved by him off the field.

Taylor was voted as the NFC’s starting safety by the voters in honor. To be fair, Taylor would have been on the team if he finished the season. He had a career-high five interceptions in just nine games. He could have had 7-9 interceptions by the end of the season. Washington was using him differently, trying to break up more passes over taking out players who already made passes.

Taylor made an impact on the Pro Bowl in seasons past, and the moment even went viral earlier this year. He destroyed the Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman on a fake punt turned into a run. He hit Moorman so hard the ball went flying and he needed a moment just to remember where he was. Plays like this are what we will remember Taylor for. It was the right move to give Taylor the nod for the Pro Bowl even though he only played nine games that season.