New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson is headed to Arizona, just not in the way Jet fans hoped for at the beginning of this past season. It isn’t a trip to the Super Bowl, but it’s the next best thing for a player. Richardson has been added to the Pro Bowl roster after being left out of the event despite having a dominant season for the Green and White.
The Missouri products selection comes on the heels of Tampa Bay’s all pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy being placed on IR with a knee issue. Nonetheless No. 91 in Green is going to the first pro bowl of his young and promising career. Richardson, who was listed as an alternate initially, had his former coach Rex Ryan fired up about him missing out on the flight to Arizona.
After a few choice words from Rex regarding pro bowl selection and rookie defensive tackle Aaron Donald, he simmered down a bit on the snub by simply stating: “Clearly, the guys missed on Sheldon Richardson… You’ve got to look at the big picture … I see the tapes. This guy deserves to be in there. There’s no doubt about it.”
In just his second season as a pro, Richardson followed up his sensational rookie season with another solid year posting 66 tackles and eight sacks for the Jets. Richardson arguably played his best football towards the end of the year as he stepped up big time while his partner in crime up front, Muhammad Wilkerson was sidelined a few games due to injury. The Jets now have two players to represent Green and White in the Pro Bowl as Richardson will join center Nick Mangold in the desert to honor the National Football Leagues best players from this year.
