Is London Fletcher the Best Player Never To Make the Pro Bowl?

Every year the pro bowl rolls around one thing is for sure: London Fletcher won't be playing in it and for one of the most consistently good players in the league this is a travesty.

There are quite a few players who have been in Fletcher's position, and had they kept being snubbed may be considered for this title, Fred Taylor and Mike Vrabel come to mind. But they were both selected in 2007 and two longtime wrongs were righted. For Fletcher at 34 (older than both Vrabel and Taylor), the pro bowl is looking more and more unlikely, as his play will soon begin to dip.

The stats speak for themselves, in his 12 year career he has amassed 1244 tackles, 30 sacks and 15 interceptions, averaging over 100 tackles a season for his career! In comparison Ray Lewis in his 14 year career has 1045 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and 28 interceptions.

Their stats are very similar, but there is one major difference between the two: Ray Lewis has been selected to 11 pro bowls, while Fletcher hasn't been to a single one.

The reason for this is the defense around them and their attitude. Ray Lewis has always been on a strong Baltimore defense (the main reason for their one Super Bowl win), and is seen as the driving force behind that defense, while being very well known by the league and fans of the sport.

Fletcher has also won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams, but it was the offense that was the strong point then and since that he has been on average defenses (with the Bills and Redskins).

Fletcher is not as well known as Ray Lewis because he doesn't seek the fame and fortune and doesn't have an outgoing personality, preferring to let his play do the talking. Its just a shame he hasn't been recognised for this.

Peter King (from Sports Illustrated) just named his all-decade team, the name of one of the middle linebackers? London Fletcher. I find this incredible, how a player can be chosen as one of the three best players at his position for the decade, yet not for a single year in that decade. It just doesn't seem right.

London Fletcher is incredibly consistent (he has only missed ONE play in the last 12 years!), a team player, has great leadership skills, and plays the game with heart and drive. He possesses nearly all the attributes of a top class linebacker and continues to provide inspiration for other players dismissed due to their size (he is only 5ft 10).

I don't think that any other player in NFL history has possessed all of these things and never appeared in the pro bowl, which is why he is the best player never to make the pro bowl.