Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas will not play in the Pro Bowl.
Thomas wrote on his instagram page that he will not be attending this year’s game in an attempt to get his body fully healthy.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the players, coaches, and most importantly, all of the fans who voted me into this year’s Pro Bowl. I have always considered being selected as one of the highest honors bestowed on any player in the league. While I value the significance of being named to the Pro Bowl, I unfortunately will not be able to participate in this year’s upcoming game. It is without question that I will miss taking the trip out to Hawaii and enjoying the festivities with my fellow NFL brothers and all the fans, but I look forward to getting my body fully healthy and working to bring another Super Bowl home to Seattle!”
Thomas has been named to the Pro Bowl in five of his six seasons in the NFL, but has been unable to play in the game since after the 2012 season.
Thomas suffered a left shoulder injury in last year’s NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers and managed to play through Super Bowl XLIX with the injury. Thomas had surgery ro repair the shoulder and was limited through training camp and didn’t play in the preseason.
Thomas matched a career-high with five interceptions this season for Seattle. He also had 64 tackles, a forced fumble and nine passes defended.