What Is the NFL Pro Bowl? Pro Bowl Format & Games Explained

How Did the NFL Pro Bowl Start?

The first-ever Pro Bowl wasn’t a Pro Bowl at all. It was called the National Football League All-Star Game and started in 1939. This game would continue in that format until 1942. The event received a makeover in 1951, at which point the name was changed to the Pro Bowl.

At different points in its history, this game pitted members of the American Football Commission (AFC) versus those in the National Football Commission (NFC) or had a schoolyard-style draft process. After an invigorating Pro Bowl Week, the two selected teams would compete in a fairly traditional football game, similar to what you might expect from the Super Bowl.

This is how the Pro Bowl would remain until 2022 when it all changed yet again. 

Why Did the Pro Bowl Format Change?

In order to stir up more excitement from fans and players alike, the Pro Bowl changed its format from what we’ve come to expect in previous years. First of all, the event is no longer called the “Pro Bowl.” Instead, it is being renamed the “Pro Bowl Games.” This is a more accurate representation of what this series of events will look like going forward.

The new Pro Bowl Games feature a combination of world-class athletes and celebrity guests, making the events more watchable than ever.

What Is the New Pro Bowl Format?

Rather than engaging in an all-star game as they have in the past, the Pro Bowl Games include multiple skills challenges meant to test each athlete’s prowess, with the event ending in a flag football game at the end of the week. 

The events range from football-based to strength-based to just a chance for the athletes to have fun. When the athletes have fun playing, the audience is bound to have fun watching. 

What Events Take Place During the Pro Bowl Games?

While we can’t say for certain which skills competitions will be featured in the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, we do have last year’s games to consider. The program for this year’s games is sure to be announced closer to February, but we can assume many of these activities will make an appearance. 

These are the contests from the 2023 Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium (home of the Las Vegas Raiders) in Las Vegas. 

Best Catch

In this interactive challenge, athletes compete to have the most inventive catch. Fans were then given the opportunity to vote on their favorite, which determined the winner.

Precision Passing

This contest lasts only a minute, during which athletes must throw a ball to hit as many targets as possible.

Longest Drive

Here, football players get to test their golf skills. Each athlete gets three chances to drive their golf ball as far as possible.

Lightning Round

This contest happens over the course of three different rounds. First, players toss water balloons at each other. Next, athletes catch as many punts as possible. Those who make it to the final round compete for the chance to dump water on a competitor’s coach.

Epic Pro Bowl Dodgeball

Yes, you read that right. dodgeball, the beloved schoolyard activity and gym class pastime, is now a part of the official NFL Pro Bowl Games. Who wouldn’t want to see some of the world’s most incredible athletes play high-stakes dodgeball? 

If you’re wondering why this was added as a skill competition, we encourage you not to overthink it. There doesn’t have to be any rhyme or reason why dodgeball was selected other than the fact that it’s plain old fun.

Kick Tac Toe

Ever wanted to see a punter or kicker try to aim a ball into three squares to win tic tac toe? This is your chance.

Gridiron Gauntlet

This new take on a relay obstacle course features plenty of unexpected challenges along the way that are sure to keep fans engaged. This game tests even the most agile of running backs.

Move the Chains

Teams compete against one another to successfully drag a weighted wall as quickly as possible with first-down chains. 

Flag Football

In 2023, the entire Pro Bowl Games led to a climactic series of three flag football games. The point values of the first round and second round were added together, and that’s the score teams had when they entered the finale. This set the stage for an intense free-for-all where both the AFC and NFC teams could go for broke.

This was an exciting and satisfying way to close out the Pro Bowl Games. It points out the playfulness of the games while still paying homage to the sport that brought us all together: football.

What Are the Rules for the Pro Bowl Games Flag Football?

Flag football is pretty similar to regular football, with one very notable exception: flag football is a no-contact sport. Rather than tackling competitors, athletes simply remove at least one flag from the opposing player’s belt. This constitutes a “tackle,” and the play ends.

How Many Players Are on Each Flag Football Team?

Where a regular football game would have 11 players on the field per team, flag football has just seven.

Has There Ever Been Tackling in the Pro Bowl Games?

Chances are that if you’ve watched the Pro Bowl before, you’ve seen a game with minimal contact (at least compared to typical football games). This is because tackling has never really been a part of the Pro Bowl. As a result, the shift to flag football shouldn’t be too jarring for fans. 

In the past, nothing explicitly stated that players weren’t allowed to tackle each other, but it would be counterintuitive to the point of the Pro Bowl in general. This is an opportunity for players to show off their skills in ways they might not get to otherwise during the regular season. 

Tackling increases the risk of injury significantly. Getting injured is already a nightmare for athletes, but the thought of getting injured during a contest that didn’t even have any actual bearing on the season would be devastating.

The NFL has decided to take this risk out of the equation entirely by switching over to flag football rather than a regular all-star game.

How Are Players Chosen for the Pro Bowl?

The Pro Bowl Games are incredibly unique in that they offer fans a chance to get in on the action. First, and probably least surprisingly, NFL coaches will vote for the players that they want to see compete. Next, the players themselves cast their ballots for one another.

Lastly, NFL fans get the opportunity to vote for whomever they want. You could choose your favorite player, an MVP for your favorite team, or simply an athlete who you think deserves the chance to become a pro bowler. This gives fans a greater feeling of agency since they are partially responsible for who plays.

Coaches, players, and fans each account for a third of the vote individually. Using those votes, the Pro Bowl Games then narrow the league down to just 88 players. That might still sound like a lot of players, but compared to the total in the NFL, it’s a significant cut. 

Each of the 32 NFL teams is allowed to have 53 players on their active roster. This means that there are nearly 1,700 players in the National Football League.  

Fans have seen big names like the Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, and the Seattle Seahawks’ Geno Smith duke it out on the greens, and there’s never a dull moment when the best of the best meet up.

Meanwhile, quarterback Tom Brady heads up the list of the most-named players with 15 Pro Bowls under his belt.

Who Is Coaching the 2024 Pro Bowl?

In 2023, both the AFC and NFC teams were in desperate need of high-profile coaches for the Pro Bowl Games. Not only did these coaches have to be skilled athletes with an intimate knowledge of the game, but they also had to have name recognition. Add some sibling rivalry into the mix, and you have a set of coaches for the ages.

There were only two people who had all of these qualifications, so it was a no-brainer that Eli Manning and Peyton Manning would each coach a team in the Pro Bowl Games.

Hall of fame-inductee Peyton Manning, a former quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos, will coach the AFC team with Ray Lewis working as his defensive coordinator. Meanwhile, Eli Manning, former quarterback for the New York Giants, will coach the NFC team. Last year, this made for a flag football game like no other. We’re confident the same will be true this coming year, so it’s not an event to miss.

Where Will the 2024 Pro Bowl Take Place?

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games are set to take place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Orlando was the Pro Bowl’s home from 2017 through 2020. It temporarily moved to Las Vegas for a year in 2023, but fans are excited for this return to form.

How Do You Watch the Pro Bowl Games?

Now that you’re no longer asking, “What is the NFL Pro Bowl,” you’re probably wondering how you can take it all in. While you can watch the Pro Bowl games on familiar outlets like ABC, Disney, and ESPN, there’s nothing like seeing it in person. That’s where TickPick has your back, just like a cornerback covering a receiver. The Pro Bowl Games are an inherently fun event, and getting your NFL Pro Bowl tickets should be fun, too.

TickPick’s BestPrice Guarantee means your tickets will be cheaper when you buy with us. We also have a BuyerTrust Guarantee, so your seats will always be completely authentic. In short, TickPick lets you focus on the game, not the price.

Whether you’re tuning into the Pro Bowl games or grabbing tickets for fan-favorite teams like the Bills, the Browns, or the Jets, TickPick has you covered.