Bryce Young and Will Anderson aren’t skipping the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Eve. That’s a big deal, even if the game isn’t.In fact, Alabama isn’t expecting any opt-outs for its bowl game.

There was a major uproar when Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey skipped their bowl games in 2016 to avoid injury and secure their positions in the NFL Draft. Now, what was taboo only six years ago is now a commonplace strategy for players who want to avoid losing millions of dollars on their first professional contract.

Young, the Tide’s quarterback, won the Heisman Trophy and nine other awards for his play in 2021. He was a freshman on the 2020 team that won the national championship. He holds multiple Alabama and SEC passing records.He has nothing to gain and everything to lose by playing in the Sugar Bowl. He’ll be on the field in New Orleans in Crimson and White.

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