The NFL Is Replacing The Pro Bowl With A Flag Football Game And Various Competitions

The NFL Pro Bowl has long been considered the worst of all the major four men’s sports’ All-Star games, mainly because “taking it easy” in football yields a far worse product than doing the same in basketball, baseball, or hockey.

Football is inherently a violent game and when players main goal is to avoid injury, the result is not particularly enjoyable to watch. For years, fans and media have thrown ideas around about how to improve the Pro Bowl, and it seems the league is finally ready to make a big swing and try something new. On Monday, the NFL announced a new format for the Pro Bowl that will replace the game itself with a flag football game, while the week leading up to that will feature various other competitions (as has been the case in recent years).

The NFL cited feedback it’s gotten from players, coaches, and executives as the impetus for the changes, noting that players enjoyed the multiday element of recent Pro Bowl weeks, but that getting rid of the tackle football game and replacing it with flag football will allow them to be more competitive while removing a good bit of tackle football’s most dangerous elements — via the Associated Press.

“The feedback very directly from guys who had been in the Pro Bowl recently was to keep the construct of the week, make sure you’re having that multiday element,” NFL executive Peter O’Reilly said. “It was overwhelmingly positive both from players as well as from clubs.”

Peyton Manning’s production company will be heavily involved in helping craft the multiday event schedule, with Manning also coaching one of the flag teams. One would figure they’ll keep some of the competitions from recent years, as the Best Catch competition, in particular, has been a hit, while also creating some new elements — and maybe bringing back some old favorites. We’d love to see the old QB challenge come back in full, and with the move to flag football I hope they find a way to shine the light on the big fellas who won’t exactly get much opportunity to do much when the physical contact portion of the game is removed.