Alex Smith wanted to give his buddy, Delanie Walker, an opportunity to make a play.
So in the second quarter of the AFC’s 24-23 win over the NFC at the Pro Bowl on Sunday at Camping World Stadium, Smith — whose proclivity for protecting the football is well-established at this point — did something very un-Alex like; he chucked a jump ball in the red zone, despite the fact Walker was blanked.
It was intercepted.
“He was trying to give me a play,” said Walker, a tight end for the Titans who played with Smith in San Francisco for seven seasons.