The Pro Bowl is a mess. No one tries very hard and tackling, as it should be in a meaningless exhibition, is generally discouraged.
But there are typically a few fun moments that emerge from the fog that settles over a distorted, dinner-theatre cabaret version of America’s favorite sport. Sometimes that’s an interception return with more laterals than yards gained. Other times it’s the one player who’s taking this way too seriously smoking an unsuspecting punter.
But the genesis for most of these notable moments is when coaches on both sidelines abandon all pretense of playing the game as prescribed and start dropping in players out of position. Like when All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs lined up at cornerback to cover All-Pro defensive back Trevon Diggs — who also happens to be his own brother.
Kirk Cousins, thief of joy, ignored his former Vikings teammate and instead threw a checkdown to Alvin Kamara. Fortunately, he got his marching orders at the two-minute warning; to throw it at Diggs-squared no matter the coverage the very next play. And the coverage was both tight and impressively illegal:
Stefon Diggs defending his brother by holding egregiously the whole way. glorious.
PLAY EVERYONE OUT OF POSITION AT THE PRO BOWL pic.twitter.com/5yQnNCpDub
— Christian D'Andrea, 2021 PAC champion (@TrainIsland) February 6, 2022
The elder Diggs got the best of this battle; after that breakup, his AFC side held the NFC to a turnover on downs. His next mission: to successfully record a sack as defensive end. Preferably against Cousins.