Eli Manning (NFC Head Coach) poses with the 2023 Pro Bowl Games Trophy - Image courtesy - Getty Images
The Pro Bowl is an annual event that is held by the National Football League (NFL). It showcases the best of the best players from each position throughout the year. When this event first started back in 1939, it was known as the ‘National Football League All-Star Game’ up until 1942. Then, from the 1951 edition onwards till 2022, it was called the ‘Pro Bowl’ which is what most fans are familiar with. Since 2023, a new format and a new name ‘Pro Bowl Games’ has been coined.
The Pro Bowl has a long history in the league and thus, there have been format changes over the years to keep the interest among fans. While this game means nothing with regards to the Super Bowl and is just about the fun and excitement of seeing so many legendary players on the same field, the Pro Bowl has started to lose its charm in the modern game.
Format changes over the years
The very first format of the National Football League All-Star Game from 1939 to 1942 pitted the league’s champions against the all-star players of that year. In 1951, we had the first official Pro Bowl in which the all-stars from the American/Eastern Conference took on the National/Western Conference players.
In 1970, the two leagues, the AFL and the NFL merged into one league which we now know as the National Football League or simply the NFL. From 1970 to 2013 and in 2017, the format was based around the conferences. It was officially called the ‘AFC–NFC Pro Bowl’ which saw the best players from the AFC take on their counterparts' best players from the NFC.
Between 2013 and 2017, the league tried out a different format for three years where honorary captains were selected (players inducted into the Hall of Fame) who then picked their respective teams doing away with the conference format.
The biggest change was perhaps introduced only last year when the NFL decided to introduce a non-contact flag football game along with other games in partnership with Peyton Manning and his Omaha Productions. This was done to try to garner more interest in the annual event as ratings had been going down over multiple decades. Furthermore, since the game did not count for anything, the players also played softer to avoid injuries.
When does the Pro Bowl take place?
The NFL is unique from the other major leagues in the United States as it holds its Pro Bowl near the end of the season, whereas the other leagues hold their All-Star Games near the midway point of the season.
Before 1970 when the merger happened, this game was held after the completion of the NFL Championship Game. However, after the merger, from 1970 to 2009, the Pro Bowl event was held the week after the conclusion of the Super Bowl. From 2010 to 2022, the event was held the week before the Super Bowl which meant that the two teams featuring in the big game did not play in the Pro Bowl.
Pro Bowl Rules and Uniforms
Generally, the rules in the Pro Bowl are much softer and lean more toward making the game safer for the players as the result doesn’t account for anything. The players themselves also have an unsaid agreement where the defense doesn’t tackle aggressively and the offensive players give up on a play once held or step out of bounds to avoid any contact.
Even though the flag football game was introduced in the 2023 Pro Bowl, this game has been almost a two-hand touch with minimal to no tackling in the past editions as well. In addition to this, several key rules are different from the regular NFL rules as the Pro Bowl aims to keep all the players safe and less prone to injury.
When it comes to uniforms, there have been some differences in the past, but for the most part, the AFC is represented by players wearing some combination of red and white while the NFC is represented by blue and white. As for the helmets, each player wears the same helmet of their respective franchise.
Since 2023 when flag football was introduced for the Pro Bowl Games, players do not need to wear the standard NFL gear with helmets, pads, and uniforms. They can just wear red shirts for the AFC players and blue shirts for the NFC players with gray shorts or pants.
Date and venue for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games
This year, the Pro Bowl Games will be held on February 1 and 4, 2024 at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Different events will be held on Thursday, February 1, and on Sunday, February 4.
Games at the Event
As per the new format from 2023, several different games take place on Thursday and Sunday. Thursday, February 1 will feature the following games:
Precision Passing - In this event each quarterback from both conferences tries to hit maximum targets within a minute.
Best Catch - Pre-recorded segments of one player from each conference will be shown to fans. The players will be seen doing special catches around landmarks in Orlando and the fans will vote for the winner.
Closest to the Pin - This game is an accuracy-based game involving golf. Six players from each conference try to drive the ball as close to the hole as possible.
High Stakes - In this event, players try to catch the maximum number of punts over multiple rounds.
Dodgeball - played by teams of five players from each conference.
Kick-Tac-Toe - An interesting and unique take on the world-famous Tic-Tac-Toe game. Here, kickers will try to get three X’s or 0’s across, vertically or diagonally, or get five symbols without making tic-tac-toe and it will be played on a giant tic-tac-toe board.
Games taking place on Sunday, February 4 will include the following:
Madden NFL Head-to-Head - One for all video game lovers. Two players from each conference will go head-to-head while playing Madden NFL 24 using the official Pro Bowl rosters.
Gridiron Gauntlet - In this event, six players from each conference will participate in a relay race through an obstacle course.
Tug-of-war - Will be played between five players from each conference.
Move the Chains - This game is for testing the strength of the players. Five players from each conference will first have to move 3000 pounds of weight off of a wall. Secondly, they will have to then drag the 2,000-pound wall across the finish line.
Flag football - There will be 3 games of flag football with 7 on 7 teams.
Players list for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games
The following tables represent all the selections for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games:
