INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 31: NBC studio analyst and Sports Illustrated write Peter King looks on during the Super Bowl XLVI Broadcasters Press Conference at the Super Bowl XLVI Media Canter in the J.W. Marriott Indianapolis on January 31, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)In his decades covering the NFL, Peter King has stirred up more than his fair share of controversial takes. But one vote he made on his annual All-Pro ballot is getting him absolutely roasted.
Speaking to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, King revealed that he gave Buffalo Bills slot receiver Cole Beasley a vote because he considers Beasley the best slot receiver in the NFL. He said that he likes to vote as if he were making his choices for an actual game, as opposed to simply who are the outright best.
“Cole Beasley is the slot receiver on my All-Pro team this year,” King said. “This year the Associated Press asked voters to vote for three wide receivers. They didn’t put any limit, any restrictions on how you vote for them and look I probably would have voted as my third receiver for somebody like Tyreek Hill, but I like to put my votes for players as if I was going to play a game and so I want a slot receiver on my team. And Cole Beasley led all NFL slot receivers in yardage this year and he was the most effective, efficient receiver in that ping-pong ball type area.”
While King didn’t reveal who the other players on his list were, he indicated that he did not pick Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill. The result of his vote got Cole Beasley a Second-Team All-Pro selection. A litany of other wide receivers did not get a single vote.
The reaction to King’s admission is pretty fierce.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat writer Greg Auman was stunned that Beasley got a vote while Mike Evans got snubbed.
Eight receivers got All-Pro votes and Evans wasn't one of them. Cole Beasley got a vote. Let's compare:
Evans: 70 catches, 1,006 yards, 13 TDs
Beasley: 82 catches, 967 yards, 4 TDs https://t.co/gFSsjPvbei— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 8, 2021
Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron was similarly irked that Allen Robinson got snubbed.
Let me get this straight.#Bears WR Allen Robinson: 102 catches, 1,250 yards, 6 TD, 5 broken tackles, 68 first downs
Second-team All-Pro Cole Beasley: 82 catches, 967 yards, 4 TD, 1 broken tackle, 53 first downs
What?!?
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) January 8, 2021
Many more people are using much harsher language to describe how shocked they are that Cole Beasley got selected.
About the only ones who aren’t cursing out King and the entire NFL are Buffalo Bills fans.
Who would you have voted for the All-Pro wide receivers?
