Bears’ Charles Tillman admits Pro Bowl too lax

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Updated: March 7, 2012 9:53AM

INDIANAPOLIS — Bears cornerback Charles Tillman enjoyed his first Pro Bowl, but he admitted the players ‘‘took off a few plays.’’

‘‘Certain plays definitely looked bad, and we could have played a little bit harder than what we were playing,’’ Tillman said. ‘‘No one is going to go out there and play like it’s a playoff game. But certain plays, we could have played harder.’’

Fans long have been critical about the lack of intensity in the Pro Bowl, and commissioner Roger Goodell seems ready to listen.

‘‘I really didn’t think that was the kind of football that we want to be demonstrating for our fans,’’ Goodell said Sunday on ESPN Radio. ‘‘And you heard it from the fans. The fans were actively booing in the stands. They didn’t like what they were seeing.’’

Goodell said the quality of the game must improve or the league might consider eliminating it.

But NFL Players Association spokesman George Atallah said the Pro Bowl is an ‘‘important tradition.’’

‘‘One that we as players want to keep,’’ Atallah wrote on his Twitter account.

After the game, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers questioned the effort of some players.

Still, Tillman relished his first Pro Bowl experience.

‘‘I definitely had a blast, and I’m definitely looking forward to going to more,’’ he said. ‘‘Every player should experience it at least once — with their families. The whole family was there. That was one of those Griswold family vacations. It was special.’’

President weighs in

President Barack Obama said on Twitter that he planned to watch the Super Bowl but that he wished ‘‘the Bears weren’t watching it from home, too.’’

Obama hasn’t been shy about his affinity for the Bears.

Almost unanimous

Rodgers earned 48 of the 50 MVP votes from a national panel of media members who cover the NFL. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees got the other two votes.