Sunday is a special moment for many NFL players. But none more special than the four Raiders players named to the roster.
First and foremost, all four players representing the Silver & Black are doing so for the first time in their NFL careers. Only Tampa has more players making their Pro Bowl debut (5).
Secondly, these Raiders players are doing so in their home stadium in front of their home fans.
Each Raiders player has their own reason for cherishing the honor of being named to a Pro Bowl roster.
All three original Raiders were drafted in the fourth round or later. Maxx Crosby is the highest drafted player of all, selected at the 106th pick in the 4th round in 2019.
Crosby got emotional when talking about making the Pro Bowl back in December.
Maxx Crosby got emotional when talking about the moment he found out he had been named to the Pro Bowl. pic.twitter.com/sCgfEoRVmS
— Levi Damien (@LeviDamien) December 21, 2021
Hunter Renfrow was chosen in the round after Crosby 149th overall in the 2019 draft. His best season in college he had 60 catches for 602 yards. This season he went notched the most receiving yards by a Raiders wide receiver in five years (1038) and the second most catches in franchise history (103).
AJ Cole wasn’t drafted at all. He makes it to the Pro Bowl while also having been the Raiders’ only First Team All-Pro after a season in which he became just the second Raiders punter ever to average over 50 yards per punt in a season.
Denzel Perryman is making his first Pro Bowl in his seventh year in the league, so you know this honor was a long timing coming for him. He was named to the squad after leading the league in solo tackles despite missing two games.
Yeah, the game itself is not what it used to be. But these players are soaking up the atmosphere of their first ever trip to the Pro Bowl. And that trip is just down the street from their house.
