NFL Sending Lindsay To Pro Bowl As Social Media Correspondent
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (247Sports)- Phillip Lindsay is headed to Orlando, after all.
The dynamic Denver Broncos running back confirmed to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he's attending this month's Pro Bowl to serve as a social media correspondent for the NFL, which will cover Lindsay's travel expenses.
You may recall the ballyhoo over Lindsay's status for the all-star festivities. Because he suffered a season-ending injury, and thus won't be a full participant, the league initially balked at picking up Lindsay's tab. A GoFundMe was created to financially supplement the former undrafted free agent, who made "just" $575,000 this season and still lives with his parents. The Broncos were not allowed to front the costs, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, but they reportedly lobbied "behind the scenes."
It's unclear, though unlikely, that Lindsay — sidelined 4-6 months following corrective wrist surgery — is eligible for a Pro Bowl game check ($35,000 for losing team, $70,000 to winning team) as a member of the AFC squad.
Completing an improbable rise from unknown to stardom, Lindsay became the third undrafted free agent rookie in NFL history to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. He also re-wrote the record book as the first undrafted rookie voted to the Pro Bowl and previously set Denver's undrafted rookie rushing record, feats that elevated him to finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
"It's special," former Broncos coach Vance Joseph said last month. "He's the first undrafted offensive [rookie] in this league to make a Pro Bowl. That tells you what he's done. His first day with us, he was the sixth halfback on the depth chart. The sixth. Obviously being a rookie free agent, didn't go to the Combine and wasn't drafted. It just speaks to his work ethic and his talent. He came in here just trying to make our football team. That being said, he was our best gunner for the first month of the season, he was our L5 on kickoff team and he was our return guy. He wasn't even our lead back, and now he's in the Pro Bowl. That speaks to his work ethic, his heart and his talent. It's amazing what he's accomplished in such a short time."
Lindsay finished his captivating 2018 campaign with 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns across 192 carries (5.4 yards per carry). He chipped in an additional 35 receptions for 241 yards and a score.
The 2019 Pro Bowl kicks off from Orlando, Fla., at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, and will be televised live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Disney XD and simulcast on ABC – the second time the game will be available on both broadcast and cable networks, and the first time that the game is being televised on Disney XD. The event will feature several Skills Showdown challenges, including "Epic Dodgeball," as well as the traditional AFC vs. NFC "game."
