 Текущий логотип NFL Pro Bowl. | |
| Впервые играл | 1951 г. |
|---|---|
 Недавние и предстоящие игры | |
| 2021 сезон | |
| 2022 г. Дата уточняется [1] ( подробности ) | |
Pro Bowl является все звезды игры в Национальной футбольной лиги (NFL). С момента слияния с конкурирующей Американской футбольной лигой (AFL) в 1970 году по 2013 год, а с 2017 года он официально называется AFC – NFC Pro Bowl , что позволяет сравнивать лучших игроков Конференции по американскому футболу (AFC) с игроками Национального футбола. Конференция (NFC). С 2014 по 2016 год НФЛ экспериментировала с неконференционным форматом, когда команды выбирались двумя почетными капитанами команд (каждый из которых занесен в Зал славы).) вместо того, чтобы выбирать игроков из каждой конференции. [2] Перед игрой игроки были выбраны в ходе телевизионного «выбора школьного двора». [3]
В отличие от большинства крупных спортивных лиг Северной Америки , которые проводят матчи всех звезд примерно в середине обычного сезона , Pro Bowl проводится примерно в конце сезона NFL . Первый официальный турнир Pro Bowl был проведен в январе 1951 года , через три недели после матча за первенство НФЛ 1950 года (между 1939 и 1942 годами НФЛ экспериментировала с играми всех звезд, в которых чемпион лиги сражался с командой звезд). В период с 1970 по 2009 год Pro Bowl обычно проводился в выходные после Super Bowl.. С 2010 года в него играют в выходные перед Суперкубком. Игроки двух команд, соревнующихся в Суперкубке, не участвуют.
В течение многих лет игра страдала от отсутствия интереса из-за воспринимаемого низкого качества [4], когда наблюдатели и комментаторы выражали свое недовольство ею в ее нынешнем состоянии. [5] Он получает более низкие телевизионные рейтинги, чем игры НФЛ регулярного сезона, [6] хотя игра имеет такие же рейтинги, как и другие крупные матчи всех звезд, такие как Матч всех звезд Высшей лиги бейсбола . [7] Однако самая большая забота команд - избежать травм звездных игроков. [8] Associated Press пишет , что игроки в игре 2012 года были «ударять друг друга , как если бы они были с подушкой борьбы». [9]
В период с 1980 по 2016 год в игру играли на стадионе Алоха на Гавайях, за исключением двух лет ( 2010 и 2015 ). 1 июня 2016 года НФЛ объявила о заключении многолетнего соглашения о переносе игры в Орландо, штат Флорида, в рамках постоянных усилий лиги по повышению актуальности игры. [4]
History of the Pro Bowl[edit]
The first "Pro All-Star Game", featuring the all-stars of the 1938 season (as well as three players from the Los Angeles Bulldogs and Hollywood Bears, who were not members of the league), was played on January 15, 1939 at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.[10][11] The NFL All-Star Game was played again in Los Angeles in 1940 and then in New York and Philadelphia in 1941 and 1942 respectively. Although originally planned as an annual contest, the all-star game was discontinued after 1942 because of travel restrictions put in place during World War II.[12] During the first five all-star games, an all-star team would face that year's league champion. The league champion won the first four games before the all-stars were victorious in the final game of this early series.
The concept of an all-star game was not revived until June 1950, when the newly christened "Pro Bowl" was approved.[12] The game was sponsored by the Los Angeles Publishers Association. It was decided that the game would feature all-star teams from each of the league's two conferences rather than the league champion versus all-star format which had been used previously. This was done to avoid confusion with the Chicago College All-Star Game, an annual game which featured the league champion against a collegiate all-star team. The teams would be led by the coach of each of the conference champions.[12] Immediately prior to the Pro Bowl, following the 1949 season, the All-America Football Conference, which contributed three teams to the NFL in a partial merger in 1950, held its own all-star game, the Shamrock Bowl.
The first 21 games of the series (1951–1972) were played in Los Angeles. The site of the game was changed annually for each of the next seven years before the game was moved to Aloha Stadium in Halawa, Hawaii for 30 straight seasons from 1980 through 2009. The 2010 Pro Bowl was played at Sun Life Stadium, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV, on January 31, the first time ever that the Pro Bowl was held before the championship game (a decision probably due to increasingly low Nielsen ratings from being regarded as an anti-climax to the Super Bowl). With the new rule being that the conference teams do not include players from the teams that will be playing in the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl then returned to Hawaii in 2011 but was again held during the week before the Super Bowl, where it remained for three more years.
The 2012 game was met with criticism from fans and sports writers for the lack of quality play by the players (see below). On October 24, 2012, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had second thoughts about the Pro Bowl, telling a Sirius XM show that if the players did not play more competitively [in the 2013 Pro Bowl], he was "not inclined to play it anymore".[13] During the ensuing off-season, the NFL Players Association lobbied to keep the Pro Bowl, and negotiated several rule changes to be implemented for the 2014 game. Among them, the teams will no longer be AFC vs. NFC, and instead be selected by captains in a fantasy draft. For the 2014 game, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders were chosen as alumni captains, while their captains were Drew Brees and Robert Quinn (Rice), along with Jamaal Charles and J. J. Watt (Sanders).[14]
On April 9, 2014, the NFL announced that the 2015 Pro Bowl would be played the week before the Super Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on January 25, 2015.[15] The game returned to Hawaii in 2016, and the "unconferenced" format was its last.[16]
For 2017, the league considered hosting the game at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which if approved would be the first time the game had been hosted outside the United States.[17] The NFL is also considering future Pro Bowls in Mexico and Germany. The NFL hopes that by leveraging international markets with the star power of Pro Bowls, international popularity and viewership will increase.[18] A report released May 19, 2016, indicated that the 2017 Pro Bowl would instead be hosted at a newly renovated Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida; Orlando beat out Brazil (which apparently did not make the final round of voting), Honolulu, Super Bowl host site Houston, and a bid from Sydney, Australia for the hosting rights.[19] On June 1, 2016, the league announced that it was restoring the old conference format.[20]
Since the 2017 Pro Bowl, the NFL has also hosted a series of side events leading up to the game called the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown, which includes competitions like passing contests and dodgeball among the players.[21]
The Pro Bowl was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[22] and instead honored the players that were named. There was a simulation played by Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Snoop Dogg, and others in Madden 21.[23]
Player selection[edit]
Currently, players are voted into the Pro Bowl by the coaches, the players themselves, and the fans. Each group's ballots count for one third of the votes. The fans vote online at the NFL's official website. There are also replacements that go to the game should any selected player be unable to play due to injuries. Prior to 1995, only the coaches and the players made Pro Bowl selections.
In order to be considered a Pro Bowler for a given year, a player must either have been one of the initial players selected to the team, or a player who accepts an invitation to the Pro Bowl as an alternate; invited alternates who decline to attend are not considered Pro Bowlers. Since 2010, players of the two teams that advance to the Super Bowl do not play in the Pro Bowl, and they are replaced by alternate players. Players who would have been invited as an alternate but could not play due to advancing to the Super Bowl are also considered Pro Bowlers (for example, Russell Wilson in 2014).[24]
From 2014 to 2016, players did not play according to conference; instead, they were placed in a draft pool and chosen by team captains.[14]
Coaching staff[edit]
When the Pro Bowl was held after the Super Bowl, the head coaches were traditionally the head coaches of the teams that lost in the AFC and NFC championship games for the same season of the Pro Bowl in question. From 1978 through 1982, the head coaches of the highest ranked divisional champion that lost in the Divisional Playoff Round were chosen.[25] For the 1983 Pro Bowl, the NFL resumed selecting the losing head coaches in the conference championship games. In the 1999 Pro Bowl, New York Jets head coach Bill Parcells, after his team lost to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, had to decline due to health reasons and Jets assistant head coach Bill Belichick took his place.[26]
When the Pro Bowl was moved to the weekend between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl in 2009, the team that lost in the Divisional Playoff Round with the best regular season record would have their coaching staffs lead their respective conference Pro Bowl team returning to the format used from 1978 to 1982. It remained that way through 2013; it resumed in 2017. If the losing teams of each conference had the same regular season record the coaches from the higher-seeded team will get the Pro Bowl honor.[27] From 2014 to 2016, the Pro Bowl coaches came from the two teams with the best records that lost in the Divisional Playoffs. (In the 2015 Pro Bowl, when John Fox left his coaching job with Denver after his playoff loss to Indianapolis that year, John Harbaugh of Baltimore took over. The next year saw Green Bay's assistant coach Winston Moss took over as Mike McCarthy resigned from coaching due to illness.)
Game honors[edit]
A Player of the Game was honored 1951–1956. 1957–1971, awards were presented to both an Outstanding Back and an Outstanding Lineman. In 1972 and since 2014, there are awards for both an Outstanding Offensive Player and an Outstanding Defensive Player. 1973–2007, only one Player of the Game award was honored (though thrice this award has been presented to multiple players in a single game). In 2008 the award was changed to Most Valuable Player (MVP).[28]
Players are paid for participating in the game with the winning team receiving a larger payout. The chart below shows how much the players of their respective teams earn:[citation needed]
| Years | Winners | Losers |
|---|---|---|
| 2011/2013 | $50,000 | $25,000 |
| 2012 | $65,000 | $40,000 |
| 2014 | $53,000 | $26,000 |
| 2015/2016 | $55,000 | $28,000 |
| 2017 | $61,000 | $30,000 |
| 2018 | $64,000 | $32,000 |
| 2019 | $67,000 | $39,000 |
| 2020 | $74,000 | $37,000 |
| 2021 | TBA | |
Rule differences[edit]
 | This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: rule diffs are cited to 2011, and there have been at least two major changes since then. E.g., "No rushing punts, PATs or FG attempts" appears to be at least partially wrong. (January 2020) |
Although there is no official rule against tackling, the players in the Pro Bowl have come to a gentlemen's agreement to do little if any tackling. On the vast majority of plays, the ball carrier either gives up as soon as a defensive player grabs him, or goes out of bounds to avoid contact. In that sense it is essentially a two-hand touch football game.[29]
In addition to the above, the Pro Bowl does have different rules from regular NFL games to make the game safer.[30][31]
- No motion or shifting by the offense
- Offense must have a running back and tight end in all formations
- Offense may have up to 3 receivers on the same side
- Intentional grounding is legal
- Defense must run a 4–3 at all times, though the Cover 2 and press coverage is allowed[14]
- No blitz; DEs and tackles can rush on passing plays, provided they are on same side of ball
- No blindside or below the waist blocks
- No rushing punts
- Coin toss determines who receives first; loser receives to start 3rd period. Procedure repeats at the start of 1st overtime.
- Kickoffs are eliminated (including free kicks)[14]
- Teams will start on their own 25-yard line after any score or at the start of each half/odd overtime[14]
- If a team that would otherwise be kicking off wants to attempt to retain possession (situations where an onside kick would be attempted if there were kickoffs), they may run a single scrimmage play from their own 25-yard line; should the ball be advanced 15 yards forward, the team retains possession[32]
- Receivers may flinch or raise either foot without incurring penalty
- 35-second play clock to run plays
- Deep middle safety must be aligned within hash marks
- Replay reviews are allowed
- 44-player roster per team
- Two-minute warning in effect for all quarters, plus overtime
- Game clock runs on incompletions except at 2 minutes left in half/overtime
- Limited contact is allowed, provided ball carrier is surrounded by opponents
In case of a tie after regulation, multiple 15-minute OT periods will be played (with each team receiving two time outs per period), and in the first overtime teams receive one possession to score unless one of them scores a touchdown/safety on its first possession. True sudden death rules apply thereafter if both teams have had their initial possession and the game remains tied. The Pro Bowl is not allowed to end in a tie, unlike preseason and regular season games. (In general, beyond the 1st overtime, whoever scores first wins. The first overtime starts as if the game had started over, like the NFL Playoffs.)
Pro Bowl uniforms[edit]
The teams are made of players from different NFL teams, so using their own uniforms would be too confusing. However, the players do wear the helmet of their respective team, but the home jerseys and pants are either a solid blue for the NFC or solid red for the AFC, with white jerseys with blue or red accents, respectively, for the away team.
The early Pro Bowl, contested by the National Football League's Eastern and Western Division stars and played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, featured the same uniforms from the 1950s to mid-1960s; the Eastern team wore scarlet jerseys with white numerals and a white crescent shoulder stripe, white pants with red stripe, red socks, and a plain red helmet. The Western team wore white jerseys with royal-blue numerals and a Northwestern University-style Ukon triple stripe on the sleeves, white pants with blue stripe and socks and a plain blue helmet. Perhaps oddly, the Eastern team wore home dark jerseys, although the host city team, the Los Angeles Rams, were members of the Western Conference. From January 1967 to January 1970 both teams wore gold helmets with the NFL logo on the sides; the Eastern helmets featured a red-white-red tri-stripe and the Western a similar blue-white-blue tri-stripe. In fact, the players brought their own game helmets to Los Angeles, which were then spray-painted and decorated for the contest. For the 1970 game the helmets featured the '50 NFL' logo, commemorating the league's half-century anniversary.
In the earliest years of the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, the players did not wear their unique helmets, as they do now. The AFC All-Stars wore a solid red helmet with a white A on it, while the NFC players wore a solid white helmet with a blue N on it. The AFC's red helmets were paired with white jerseys and red pants, while the NFC's white helmets were paired with blue jerseys and white pants.
Two players with the same number who are elected to the Pro Bowl can now wear the same number for that game. This was not always the case in the past.
The 2008 Pro Bowl included a unique example of several players from the same team wearing the same number in a Pro Bowl. For the game, Washington Redskins players T Chris Samuels, TE Chris Cooley, and LS Ethan Albright all wore the number 21 (a number normally inappropriate for their positions) in memory of their teammate Sean Taylor, who had been murdered during the 2007 season.[33]
On October 7, 2013, Nike unveiled the uniforms for the 2014 Pro Bowl, which revealed that the red, white and blue colors that the game uniforms bore throughout its entire history will no longer be used for this game. As the NFC–AFC format was not used between 2014 through 2016, team 1 sported a white uniform with bright orange and team 2 sported a gray uniform with volt green.[34] The new uniforms received mixed reviews from fans and sports columnists alike, one even mentioning that the game would look like an "Oregon vs. Oklahoma State" game.[35]
Since 2017, when the conference format was restored, the league takes an approach similar to the NFL Color Rush initiative, in which jerseys, pants, and socks were all a uniform color (red for the AFC, blue for the NFC).
Game results[edit]
NFL All-Star Games (1938–1942)[edit]
- No Most Valuable Player awards were presented during these games.
| Season | Date | Score | Venue | Attendance | Head coaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | January 15, 1939 | New York Giants 13, NFL All-Stars 10 | Wrigley Field | 15,000[36] | AS: Ray Flaherty (Washington) and Gus Henderson (Detroit) NY: Steve Owen |
| 1939 | January 14, 1940 | Green Bay Packers 16, NFL All-Stars 7 | Gilmore Stadium | 18,000 | AS: Steve Owen (New York) GB: Curly Lambeau |
| 1940 | December 29, 1940 | Chicago Bears 28, NFL All-Stars 14 | Gilmore Stadium | 21,624 | AS: Ray Flaherty (Washington) CB: George Halas |
| 1941 | January 4, 1942 | Chicago Bears 35, NFL All-Stars 24 | Polo Grounds | 17,725 | AS: Steve Owen (New York) CB: George Halas |
| 1942 | December 27, 1942 | NFL All-Stars 17, Washington Redskins 14 | Shibe Park | 18,671 | AS: Hunk Anderson (Chicago Bears) Wash: Ray Flaherty |
| No game was played from 1943 to 1950. | |||||
NFL Pro Bowls (1950–1969)[edit]
| Season | Date | Score | Series | Most Valuable Players | Venue[37] | Attendance | Head coaches | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | January 14, 1951 | American Conference 28, National Conference 27 | AC, 1–0 | Otto Graham, Cleveland Browns, Quarterback | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 53,676 | AC: Paul Brown, Cleveland NC: Joe Stydahar, Los Angeles | |
| 1951 | January 12, 1952[38] | National Conference 30, American Conference 13 | Tied, 1–1 | Dan Towler, Los Angeles Rams, Running back | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 19,400 | AC: Paul Brown, Cleveland NC: Joe Stydahar, Los Angeles | NBC |
| 1952 | January 10, 1953[38] | National Conference 27, American Conference 7 | NC, 2–1 | Don Doll, Detroit Lions, Defensive back | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 34,208 | AC: Paul Brown, Cleveland NC: Buddy Parker, Detroit | NBC |
| 1953 | January 17, 1954 | East 20, West 9 | Tied, 2–2 | Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles, Linebacker | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 44,214 | EC: Paul Brown, Cleveland WC: Buddy Parker, Detroit | DuMont |
| 1954 | January 16, 1955 | West 26, East 19 | West, 3–2 | Billy Wilson, San Francisco 49ers, End | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 43,972 | EC: Jim Trimble, Philadelphia WC: Buck Shaw, San Francisco | |
| 1955 | January 15, 1956 | East 31, West 30 | Tied, 3–3 | Ollie Matson, Chicago Cardinals, Running back | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 37,867 | EC: Joe Kuharich, Washington WC: Sid Gillman, Los Angeles | |
| 1956 | January 13, 1957 | West 19, East 10 | West, 4–3 | Back: Bert Rechichar, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 44,177 | EC: Jim Lee Howell, New York WC: Paddy Driscoll, Chicago Bears | |
| 1957 | January 12, 1958 | West 26, East 7 | West, 5–3 | Back: Hugh McElhenny, San Francisco 49ers Lineman: Gene Brito, Washington Redskins | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 66,634 | EC: Buddy Parker, Pittsburgh WC: George Wilson, Detroit | NBC |
| 1958 | January 11, 1959 | East 28, West 21 | West, 5–4 | Back: Frank Gifford, New York Giants Lineman: Doug Atkins, Chicago Bears | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 72,250 | EC: Jim Lee Howell, New York WC: Weeb Ewbank, Baltimore | NBC |
| 1959 | January 17, 1960 | West 38, East 21 | West, 6–4 | Back: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 56,876 | EC: Buck Shaw, Philadelphia WC: Red Hickey, San Francisco | NBC |
| 1960 | January 15, 1961 | West 35, East 31 | West, 7–4 | Back: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Sam Huff, New York Giants | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 62,971 | EC: Buck Shaw, Philadelphia WC: Vince Lombardi, Green Bay | NBC |
| 1961 | January 14, 1962 | West 31, East 30 | West, 8–4 | Back: Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns Lineman: Henry Jordan, Green Bay Packers | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 57,409 | EC: Allie Sherman, New York WC: Norm Van Brocklin, Minnesota | NBC |
| 1962 | January 13, 1963 | East 30, West 20 | West, 8–5 | Back: Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns Lineman: Eugene Lipscomb, Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 61,374 | EC: Allie Sherman, New York WC: Vince Lombardi, Green Bay | NBC |
| 1963 | January 12, 1964 | West 31, East 17 | West, 9–5 | Back: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Gino Marchetti, Baltimore Colts | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 67,242 | EC: Allie Sherman, New York WC: George Halas, Chicago | NBC |
| 1964 | January 10, 1965 | West 34, East 14 | West, 10–5 | Back: Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings Lineman: Terry Barr, Detroit Lions | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 60,598 | EC: Blanton Collier, Cleveland WC: Don Shula, Baltimore | NBC |
| 1965 | January 15, 1966 | East 36, West 7 | West, 10–6 | Back: Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns Lineman: Dale Meinert, St. Louis Cardinals | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 60,124 | EC: Blanton Collier, Cleveland WC: Vince Lombardi, Green Bay | CBS |
| 1966 | January 22, 1967 | East 20, West 10 | West, 10–7 | Back: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears Lineman: Floyd Peters, Philadelphia Eagles | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 15,062 | EC: Tom Landry, Dallas WC: George Allen, Los Angeles | CBS |
| 1967 | January 21, 1968 | West 38, East 20 | West, 11–7 | Back: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears Lineman: Dave Robinson, Green Bay Packers | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 53,289 | EC:Otto Graham, Washington WC: Don Shula, Baltimore | CBS |
| 1968 | January 19, 1969 | West 10, East 7 | West, 12–7 | Back: Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams Lineman: Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles Rams | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 32,050 | EC: Tom Landry, Dallas WC: George Allen, Los Angeles | CBS |
| 1969 | January 18, 1970 | West 16, East 13 | West, 13–7 | Back: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears Lineman: George Andrie, Dallas Cowboys | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 57,786 | EC: Tom Fears, New Orleans WC: Norm Van Brocklin, Atlanta | CBS |
AFC–NFC Pro Bowls (1970–2012)[edit]
| Season | Date | Score | Series | Most Valuable Player(s) | Venue | Attendance | Head coaches | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | January 24, 1971 | NFC, 27–6 | NFC, 1–0 | Lineman: Fred Carr, Packers Back: Mel Renfro, Cowboys | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 48,222 | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Dick Nolan, San Francisco | CBS |
| 1971 | January 23, 1972 | AFC, 26–13 | Tied, 1–1 | Defense: Willie Lanier, Chiefs Offense: Jan Stenerud, Chiefs | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 53,647 | AFC: Don McCafferty, Baltimore NFC: Dick Nolan, San Francisco | NBC |
| 1972 | January 21, 1973 | AFC, 33–28 | AFC, 2–1 | O.J. Simpson, Bills, Running back | Texas Stadium | 37,091 | AFC: Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas | CBS |
| 1973 | January 20, 1974 | AFC, 15–13 | AFC, 3–1 | Garo Yepremian, Dolphins, Placekicker | Arrowhead Stadium | 66,918 | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas | NBC |
| 1974 | January 20, 1975[39] | NFC, 17–10 | AFC, 3–2 | James Harris, Rams, Quarterback | Miami Orange Bowl | 26,484 | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles | ABC |
| 1975 | January 26, 1976[39] | NFC, 23–20 | Tied, 3–3 | Billy Johnson, Oilers, Kick returner | Louisiana Superdome | 30,546 | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles | ABC |
| 1976 | January 17, 1977[39] | AFC, 24–14 | AFC, 4–3 | Mel Blount, Steelers, Cornerback | The Kingdome | 64,752 | AFC: Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles | ABC |
| 1977 | January 23, 1978[39] | NFC, 14–13 | Tied, 4–4 | Walter Payton, Bears, Running back | Tampa Stadium | 51,337 | AFC: Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles | ABC |
| 1978 | January 29, 1979[39] | NFC, 13–7 | NFC, 5–4 | Ahmad Rashād, Vikings, Wide receiver | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 46,281 | AFC: Chuck Fairbanks, New England NFC: Bud Grant, Minnesota | ABC |
| 1979 | January 27, 1980 | NFC, 37–27 | NFC, 6–4 | Chuck Muncie, Saints, Running back | Aloha Stadium | 49,800 | AFC: Don Coryell, San Diego NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas | ABC |
| 1980 | February 1, 1981 | NFC, 21–7 | NFC, 7–4 | Eddie Murray, Lions, Placekicker | Aloha Stadium | 50,360 | AFC: Sam Rutigliano, Cleveland NFC: Leeman Bennett, Atlanta | ABC |
| 1981 | January 31, 1982 | AFC, 16–13 | NFC, 7–5 | Lee Roy Selmon, Buccaneers, Defensive end Kellen Winslow, Chargers, Tight end | Aloha Stadium | 50,402 | AFC: Don Shula, Miami NFC: John McKay, Tampa Bay | ABC |
| 1982 | February 6, 1983 | NFC, 20–19 | NFC, 8–5 | Dan Fouts, Chargers, Quarterback John Jefferson, Packers, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 49,883 | AFC: Walt Michaels, New York Jets NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas | ABC |
| 1983 | January 29, 1984 | NFC, 45–3 | NFC, 9–5 | Joe Theismann, Redskins, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,445 | AFC: Chuck Knox, Seattle NFC: Bill Walsh, San Francisco | ABC |
| 1984 | January 27, 1985 | AFC, 22–14 | NFC, 9–6 | Mark Gastineau, Jets, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium | 50,385 | AFC: Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh NFC: Mike Ditka, Chicago | ABC |
| 1985 | February 2, 1986 | NFC, 28–24 | NFC, 10–6 | Phil Simms, Giants, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,101 | AFC: Don Shula, Miami NFC: John Robinson, L.A. Rams | ABC |
| 1986 | February 1, 1987 | AFC, 10–6 | NFC, 10–7 | Reggie White, Eagles, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium | 50,101 | AFC: Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland NFC: Joe Gibbs, Washington | ABC |
| 1987 | February 7, 1988 | AFC, 15–6 | NFC, 10–8 | Bruce Smith, Bills, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium | 50,113 | AFC: Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland NFC: Jerry Burns, Minnesota | ESPN |
| 1988 | January 29, 1989 | NFC, 34–3 | NFC, 11–8 | Randall Cunningham, Eagles, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,113 | AFC: Marv Levy, Buffalo NFC: Mike Ditka, Chicago | ESPN |
| 1989 | February 4, 1990 | NFC, 27–21 | NFC, 12–8 | Jerry Gray, Rams, Cornerback | Aloha Stadium | 50,445 | AFC: Bud Carson, Cleveland NFC: John Robinson, L.A. Rams | ESPN |
| 1990 | February 3, 1991 | AFC, 23–21 | NFC, 12–9 | Jim Kelly, Bills, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,345 | AFC: Art Shell, L.A. Raiders NFC: George Seifert, San Francisco | ESPN |
| 1991 | February 2, 1992 | NFC, 21–15 | NFC, 13–9 | Michael Irvin, Cowboys, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 50,209 | AFC: Dan Reeves, Denver NFC: Wayne Fontes, Detroit | ESPN |
| 1992 | February 7, 1993 | AFC, 23–20 (OT) | NFC, 13–10 | Steve Tasker, Bills, Special teams | Aloha Stadium | 50,007 | AFC: Don Shula, Miami NFC: George Seifert, San Francisco | ESPN |
| 1993 | February 6, 1994 | NFC, 17–3 | NFC, 14–10 | Andre Rison, Falcons, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 50,026 | AFC: Marty Schottenheimer, Kansas City NFC: George Seifert, San Francisco | ESPN |
| 1994 | February 5, 1995 | AFC, 41–13 | NFC, 14–11 | Marshall Faulk, Colts, Running back | Aloha Stadium | 49,121 | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Barry Switzer, Dallas | ABC |
| 1995 | February 4, 1996 | NFC, 20–13 | NFC, 15–11 | Jerry Rice, 49ers, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 50,034 | AFC: Ted Marchibroda, Indianapolis NFC: Mike Holmgren, Green Bay | ABC |
| 1996 | February 2, 1997 | AFC, 26–23 (OT) | NFC, 15–12 | Mark Brunell, Jaguars, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,031 | AFC: Tom Coughlin, Jacksonville NFC: Dom Capers, Carolina | ABC |
| 1997 | February 1, 1998 | AFC, 29–24 | NFC, 15–13 | Warren Moon, Seahawks, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 49,995 | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Steve Mariucci, San Francisco | ABC |
| 1998 | February 7, 1999 | AFC, 23–10 | NFC, 15–14 | Keyshawn Johnson, Jets, Wide receiver Ty Law, Patriots, Cornerback | Aloha Stadium | 50,075 | AFC: Bill Belichick,[40] N.Y. Jets NFC: Dennis Green, Minnesota | ABC |
| 1999 | February 6, 2000 | NFC, 51–31 | NFC, 16–14 | Randy Moss, Vikings, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 50,112 | AFC: Tom Coughlin, Jacksonville NFC: Tony Dungy, Tampa Bay | ABC |
| 2000 | February 4, 2001 | AFC, 38–17 | NFC, 16–15 | Rich Gannon, Raiders, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,128 | AFC: Jon Gruden, Oakland NFC: Dennis Green, Minnesota | ABC |
| 2001 | February 9, 2002[38] | AFC, 38–30 | Tied, 16–16 | Rich Gannon, Raiders, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,301 | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia | ABC |
| 2002 | February 2, 2003 | AFC, 45–20 | AFC, 17–16 | Ricky Williams, Dolphins, Running back | Aloha Stadium | 50,125 | AFC: Jeff Fisher, Tennessee NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia | ABC |
| 2003 | February 8, 2004 | NFC, 55–52 | Tied, 17–17 | Marc Bulger, Rams, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,127 | AFC: Tony Dungy, Indianapolis NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia | ESPN |
| 2004 | February 13, 2005 | AFC, 38–27 | AFC, 18–17 | Peyton Manning, Colts, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,225 | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Jim L. Mora, Atlanta | ESPN |
| 2005 | February 12, 2006 | NFC 23–17 | Tied, 18–18 | Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers, Linebacker | Aloha Stadium | 50,190 | AFC: Mike Shanahan, Denver NFC: John Fox, Carolina | ESPN |
| 2006 | February 10, 2007[38] | AFC 31–28 | AFC, 19–18 | Carson Palmer, Bengals, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium | 50,410 | AFC: Bill Belichick, New England NFC: Sean Payton, New Orleans | CBS |
| 2007 | February 10, 2008 | NFC 42–30 | Tied, 19–19 | Adrian Peterson, Vikings, Running back | Aloha Stadium | 50,044 | AFC: Norv Turner, San Diego NFC: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay | Fox |
| 2008 | February 8, 2009 | NFC 30–21 | NFC, 20–19 | Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 49,958 | AFC: John Harbaugh, Baltimore NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia | NBC |
| 2009 | January 31, 2010 | AFC 41–34 | Tied, 20–20 | Matt Schaub, Texans, Quarterback | Sun Life Stadium | 70,697 | AFC: Norv Turner, San Diego NFC: Wade Phillips, Dallas | ESPN |
| 2010 | January 30, 2011 | NFC 55–41 | NFC, 21–20 | DeAngelo Hall, Redskins, Cornerback | Aloha Stadium | 49,338 | AFC: Bill Belichick, New England NFC: Mike Smith, Atlanta | Fox |
| 2011 | January 29, 2012 | AFC 59–41 | Tied, 21–21 | Brandon Marshall, Dolphins, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium | 48,423 | AFC: Gary Kubiak, Houston NFC: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay | NBC |
| 2012 | January 27, 2013 | NFC 62–35 | NFC, 22–21 | Kyle Rudolph, Vikings, Tight end | Aloha Stadium | 47,134 | AFC: John Fox, Denver NFC: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay | NBC |
Unconferenced Pro Bowls (2013–2015)[edit]
| Season | Date | Score | Most Valuable Player(s) | Venue | Attendance | Head coaches | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | January 26, 2014 | Team Rice 22,Team Sanders 21 | Offense: Nick Foles, Eagles, Quarterback Defense: Derrick Johnson, Chiefs, Linebacker | Aloha Stadium | 47,270 | Rice: Ron Rivera, Carolina Sanders: Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis | NBC |
| 2014 | January 25, 2015 | Team Irvin 32,Team Carter 28 | Offense: Matthew Stafford, Lions, Quarterback Defense: J. J. Watt, Texans, Defensive end | University of Phoenix Stadium | 63,225 | Irvin: Jason Garrett, Dallas Carter: John Harbaugh, Baltimore | ESPN |
| 2015 | January 31, 2016 | Team Irvin 49,Team Rice 27 | Offense: Russell Wilson, Seahawks, Quarterback Defense: Michael Bennett, Seahawks, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium | 50,000 | Irvin: Winston Moss, Green Bay Rice: Andy Reid, Kansas City |
AFC–NFC Pro Bowls (2016–present)[edit]
| Season | Date | Score | Series | Most Valuable Player(s) | Venue | Attendance | Head coaches | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | January 29, 2017 | AFC 20–13 | Tied, 22–22 | Offensive: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs, Tight end Defensive: Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo Bills, Linebacker | Camping World Stadium | 60,834 | AFC: Andy Reid, Kansas City NFC: Jason Garrett, Dallas | ESPN |
| 2017 | January 28, 2018 | AFC 24–23 | AFC, 23–22 | Offensive: Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans, Tight end Defensive: Von Miller, Denver Broncos, Linebacker | Camping World Stadium | 51,019 | AFC: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh NFC: Sean Payton, New Orleans | ESPN/ABC |
| 2018 | January 27, 2019 | AFC 26–7 | AFC, 24–22 | Offensive: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, Quarterback Defensive: Jamal Adams, New York Jets, Safety | Camping World Stadium | 57,875 | AFC: Anthony Lynn, L.A. Chargers NFC: Jason Garrett, Dallas | ESPN/ABC/Disney XD |
| 2019 | January 26, 2020 | AFC 38–33 | AFC, 25–22 | Offensive: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens, Quarterback Defensive: Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars, Defensive end | Camping World Stadium | 54,024 | AFC: John Harbaugh, Baltimore NFC: Pete Carroll, Seattle | ESPN/ABC/Disney XD |
| 2020 | January 31, 2021 | Replaced with a virtual-only event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Game was originally scheduled to be held at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. The NFC won the virtual game 32–12. | ||||||
Stadiums that have hosted the Pro Bowl[edit]
- Wrigley Field (1939)
- Gilmore Stadium (January and December 1940)
- Polo Grounds (January 1942)
- Shibe Park (December 1942)
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1951–1972, 1979)
- Texas Stadium (1973)
- Arrowhead Stadium (1974)
- Miami Orange Bowl (1975)
- Louisiana Superdome (1976)
- Kingdome (1977)
- Tampa Stadium (1978)
- Aloha Stadium (1980–2009, 2011–2014, 2016)
- Sun Life Stadium (2010)
- University of Phoenix Stadium (2015)
- Camping World Stadium (2017–2020)
- Allegiant Stadium (2022–present)
Records[edit]
Players with most invitations[edit]
As of the 2020 Pro Bowl, 28 players have been invited to at least 11 Pro Bowls in their careers.[41] Except for those that are current active or not yet eligible, each of these players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Five players share the record of having been invited to 14 Pro Bowls, the first being Merlin Olsen, followed by Bruce Matthews, Tony Gonzalez, Peyton Manning, and most recently Tom Brady.[42]
| Pro Bowls | Player | Pos | Seasons by team | Selection years | Year of induction into Hall of Fame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Tom Brady | QB | New England Patriots (2000–2019) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020–present) | 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009–2018 | Active player |
| 14 | Tony Gonzalez | TE | Kansas City Chiefs (1997–2008) Atlanta Falcons (2009–2013) | 1999–2008, 2010–2013 | 2019 |
| 14 | Peyton Manning | QB | Indianapolis Colts (1998–2011) Denver Broncos (2012–2015) | 1999, 2000, 2002–2010, 2012–2014 | 2021 (Elected) |
| 14 | Bruce Matthews | G | Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers /Tennessee Titans (1983–2001) | 1988–2001 | 2007 |
| 14 | Merlin Olsen | DT | Los Angeles Rams (1962–1976) | 1962–1975 | 1982 |
| 13 | Drew Brees | QB | San Diego Chargers (2001–2005) New Orleans Saints (2006–2020) | 2004, 2006, 2008–2014, 2016–2019 | Eligible in 2026 |
| 13 | Ray Lewis | LB | Baltimore Ravens (1996–2012) | 1997–2001, 2003, 2004, 2006–2011 | 2018 |
| 13 | Jerry Rice | WR | San Francisco 49ers (1985–2000) Oakland Raiders (2001–2004) Seattle Seahawks (2004) | 1986–1996, 1998, 2002 | 2010 |
| 13 | Reggie White | DE | Philadelphia Eagles (1985–1992) Green Bay Packers (1993–1998) Carolina Panthers (2000) | 1986–1998 | 2006 |
| 12 | Champ Bailey | CB | Washington Redskins (1999–2003) Denver Broncos (2004–2013) | 2000–2007, 2009–2012 | 2019 |
| 12 | Ken Houston | S | Houston Oilers (1967–1972) Washington Redskins (1973–1980) | 1968–1979 | 1986 |
| 12 | Randall McDaniel | G | Minnesota Vikings (1988–1999) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000–2001) | 1989–2000 | 2009 |
| 12 | Jim Otto | C | Oakland Raiders (1960–1974) | 1961–1972 | 1980 |
| 12 | Junior Seau | LB | San Diego Chargers (1990–2002) Miami Dolphins (2003–2005) New England Patriots (2006–2009) | 1991–2002 | 2015 |
| 12 | Will Shields | G | Kansas City Chiefs (1993–2006) | 1995–2006 | 2015 |
| 11 | Larry Allen | G | Dallas Cowboys (1994–2005) San Francisco 49ers (2006–2007) | 1995–2001, 2003–2006 | 2013 |
| 11 | Derrick Brooks | LB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1995–2008) | 1997–2006, 2008 | 2014 |
| 11 | Brett Favre | QB | Atlanta Falcons (1991) Green Bay Packers (1992–2007) New York Jets (2008) Minnesota Vikings (2009–2010) | 1992, 1993, 1995–1997, 2001–2003, 2007–2009 | 2016 |
| 11 | Larry Fitzgerald | WR | Arizona Cardinals (2004–present) | 2005, 2007–2013, 2015–2017 | Active player |
| 11 | Bob Lilly | DT | Dallas Cowboys (1961–1974) | 1962, 1964–1973 | 1980 |
| 11 | Tom Mack | G | Los Angeles Rams (1966–1978) | 1967–1975, 1977, 1978 | 1999 |
| 11 | Gino Marchetti | DE | Dallas Texans (1952) Baltimore Colts (1953–1964; 1966) | 1954–1964 | 1972 |
| 11 | Anthony Muñoz | OT | Cincinnati Bengals (1980–1992) | 1981–1991 | 1998 |
| 11 | Jonathan Ogden | OT | Baltimore Ravens (1996–2007) | 1997–2007 | 2013 |
| 11 | Willie Roaf | OT | New Orleans Saints (1993–2001) Kansas City Chiefs (2002–2005) | 1994–2000, 2002–2005 | 2012 |
| 11 | Bruce Smith | DE | Buffalo Bills (1985–1999) Washington Redskins (2000–2003) | 1987–1990, 1992–1998 | 2009 |
| 11 | Jason Witten | TE | Dallas Cowboys (2003–2017, 2019) Las Vegas Raiders (2020) | 2004–2010, 2012–2014, 2017 | Eligible in 2026 |
| 11 | Rod Woodson | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers (1987–1996) San Francisco 49ers (1997) Baltimore Ravens (1998–2001) Oakland Raiders (2002–2003) | 1989–1994, 1996, 1999–2002 | 2009 |
Television[edit]
- Under the prior NFL television contract which was in effect through the 2014 Pro Bowl, the network which aired the Super Bowl also aired the Pro Bowl. The 2007 game on CBS was held on the Saturday after Super Bowl XLI because of the 49th Grammy Awards. The 2008 game was on Fox, broadcaster of Super Bowl XLII. Likewise, the 2009 game was on NBC, broadcaster of Super Bowl XLIII. CBS sold off their rights to the 2010 game to ESPN, which was played a week before the Super Bowl at the Super Bowl site, Sun Life Stadium. CBS also declined to broadcast the 2013 game, which was instead shown on NBC. The 2014 game, also shown on NBC, was the final Pro Bowl on network television for four years, as exclusive broadcast rights moved to ESPN in 2015 prior to being simulcast with sister network ABC in 2018.
- The Pro Bowl was originally broadcast on an alternative basis by CBS and NBC 1971–1974; the other network broadcast the Super Bowl. Later, the game was broadcast as part of the Monday Night Football package on ABC 1975–1987 and again 1995–2003. In 2004–2006, ABC sold its rights to the Pro Bowl to sister network ESPN (who had shown it 1988–1994). In those years, the ESPN Sunday Night Football crew covered the game.
- In the early 2000s, after suffering through several years of dwindling ratings ABC considered moving the game to Monday night. The idea was scrapped, however, when ABC decided to sell off the rights to sister network ESPN.
- Throughout his broadcasting career, John Madden declined to be part of the announcing crew when his network carried the Pro Bowl due to his aviatophobia and claustrophobia (a joke referencing both is made in the Madden NFL '97 video game before the beginning of the Pro Bowl in season mode, where Madden quips that he drove his "Madden Bus" to Hawaii, rather than flying). Until Madden's retirement from broadcasting after the 2009 Pro Bowl, it had only occurred twice: former San Diego Chargers quarterback and MNF personality Dan Fouts, whom Madden had replaced, took his place on ABC in 2003, and Cris Collinsworth took his place on NBC in 2009 (Collinsworth ended up replacing Madden permanently upon the latter's retirement).
- ESPN will hold exclusive rights to the Pro Bowl from 2015 through 2022, although in 2018, the Pro Bowl returned to network television for the first time in four years as part of a joint ABC/ESPN simulcast (both sister networks are owned by The Walt Disney Company). Disney XD was added to the simulcast for 2019.[43]
Most watched Pro Bowls[edit]
| Rank | Game | Date | Matchup | Network | Viewers (millions) | TV rating[44] | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011 Pro Bowl | January 29, 2011 | AFC | 41 | NFC | 55 | Fox | 13.4 | 7.7 | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI |
| 2 | 2000 Pro Bowl | February 6, 2000 | AFC | 31 | NFC | 51 | ABC | 13.2 | 8.6 | |
| 3 | 2012 Pro Bowl | January 29, 2012 | NFC | 41 | AFC | 59 | NBC | 12.5 | 7.3 | |
| 4 | 2010 Pro Bowl | January 31, 2010 | AFC | 41 | NFC | 34 | ESPN | 12.3 | 7.1 | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL |
| 5 | 2013 Pro Bowl | January 27, 2013 | AFC | 35 | NFC | 62 | NBC | 12.2 | 7.1 | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI |
| 6 | 2014 Pro Bowl | January 26, 2014 | Team Rice | 22 | Team Sanders | 21 | 11.4 | 6.6 | ||
| 7 | 2008 Pro Bowl | February 10, 2008 | AFC | 30 | NFC | 42 | Fox | 10.0 | 6.3 | |
| 8 | 2003 Pro Bowl | February 2, 2003 | NFC | 23 | AFC | 45 | ABC | 9.1 | 5.9 | |
| 9 | 2009 Pro Bowl | February 8, 2009 | NFC | 30 | AFC | 21 | NBC | 8.8 | 5.4 | |
| 10 | 2015 Pro Bowl | January 25, 2015 | Team Irvin | 32 | Team Carter | 28 | ESPN | 8.8 | 5.1 | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
Blackout policy[edit]
Prior to 2015, the Pro Bowl was still subject to the NFL's blackout policies, requiring the game to be blacked out within 75 miles (121 km) of the stadium site if the game does not sell out all of the stadium's seats.[45][46] However, with the lifting of the NFL's blackout rules in 2015, the game can be shown within the host stadium regardless of attendance.
Criticism[edit]
Quality[edit]
For decades, the Pro Bowl has been criticized as a glamor event more than a football game. This is due to two causes: the voluntary nature of the game, and the fear of player injury.[citation needed]
While players are financially compensated for participating in the Pro Bowl, for a star player, the pay can be less than 1% of their salary. Many star players have excused themselves from participation over the years, meaning that the very best players are not necessarily featured. Not having the best players in the Pro Bowl was exacerbated by the introduction of fan voting (see section below).
Another criticism of the game is that the players—particularly on defense—are not playing "full speed". This is because player injury plays a much greater part in a team's success in the NFL as compared to the other major American sports. For this reason, unlike the NBA, NHL, and MLB (which host their all-star events as a mid-season break), the Pro Bowl was historically held after the completion of the season and playoffs. This means that a player injured in the Pro Bowl would have at least six months to rehab before the next season begins. However, starting in 2010, the Pro Bowl was moved from the week after the Super Bowl to the week before the Super Bowl. Because of the above-noted fear of injury, players from the two teams participating in the Super Bowl were banned from participation, meaning that the absence of star players was only increased.
With the dearth of stars making the game the subject of much derision (Sports Illustrated website refused to even include one pre-game story on the event in 2012),[citation needed] the players on the field appear to be taking it less seriously as well.[citation needed] In the 2012 game, the lack of defensive effort was apparent, not only to anyone watching, but to anyone who saw the score of 100 points. One NFL player watching the game said, "They probably should have just put flags on them,"[47] indicating that the quality was about on the level of flag football. Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that the game needed to improve, otherwise it would be eliminated.[48][49] It is worth noting that entire teams have declined to participate after losing the conference championship, like the 2015 New England Patriots, which had seven starters on the Pro Bowl roster. This, among other factors, caused the 2016 Pro Bowl to be more of a game featuring emerging players, with a record of 133 players selected overall (including those who were absent), and ended up including rookie quarterback Jameis Winston instead of recognized veterans Tom Brady and Carson Palmer, who were both in the conversation for the 2015 NFL season MVP before losing in their respective conference finals.[50]
Selection process[edit]
Fan voting has increased criticism[according to whom?] of the Pro Bowl. Voting by fans makes up 1/3 of the vote for Pro Bowl players. Some teams earn more selections of their players because fans often vote for their favorite team and not necessarily the best player. In the 2008 Pro Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys had thirteen players on the NFC roster, an NFL record. "If you're in a small market, no one really gets to see you play", said Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield, who spent much of his early career with the small-market Buffalo Bills. "If you're a quiet guy, it's hard to get the attention. You just have to work hard and play." Winfield made the Pro Bowl in 2008 after ten seasons of being shut out.[51]
The player voting has also been subject to significant criticism. It is not uncommon for players to pick the same players over and over again; former offensive lineman (and Sports Illustrated analyst) Ross Tucker has cited politics, incumbency, personal vendettas, and compensation for injury in previous years as primary factors in players' choices. Thus, players who have seen their play decline with age can still be perennially elected to the Pro Bowl due to their popularity among other players, something particularly common among positions such as the offensive line, where few statistics are available.[52] For example, in 2010, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs admitted voting for Ryan Fitzpatrick (then the backup quarterback of the Buffalo Bills) over eventual league most valuable player Tom Brady not because he thought Fitzpatrick was the better player but as a vote of disrespect toward Brady's team, the New England Patriots.[53]
Some players have had a surprisingly small number of Pro Bowl selections despite distinguished careers. Hall of Fame running back John Riggins was selected only once in his career from 1971 to 1985. He was not selected in the year after which he set the record for rushing touchdowns in a season and his team made it to the Super Bowl (although he did make the All-Pro team). Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke only made the Pro Bowl once, despite being named All-Pro seven times and being the MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game. Defensive back Ken Riley never made the Pro Bowl in his 15 seasons, even though he recorded 65 interceptions, the fourth-highest total in NFL history at the time of his retirement. Former Jacksonville Jaguars halfback Fred Taylor, who is 15th in all-time rushing yards, was elected to his only Pro Bowl in 2007, despite averaging 4.6 yards per carry for his career, better than all but five running backs ranked in the top 30 in all-time rushing. Aaron Smith made it to the Pro Bowl once in 13 years (2004) despite winning two Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers and being named to the Sports Illustrated 2000s All Decade Team, despite defensive teammates such as Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, and James Harrison being named to multiple Pro Bowls during his career; Smith would often be ranked as one of the NFL's most underrated players during his career.[54]
Long snappers are picked by the coaches and not voted on at all. They are not allowed to play on their own coach's team.
See also[edit]
- American Football League All-Star games
- All-America Football Conference All-Star Game
- Chicago College All-Star Game – a series played between an NFL team and a collegiate all-star team
- NFL Pro Bowl records
References[edit]
- ^ "2022 NFL Pro Bowl". allegiantstadium.com. Retrieved April 15, 2021. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ^ Orr, Conor (June 1, 2016). "Orlando Pro Bowl returning to AFC-NFC format in 2017". NFL. National Football League.
- ^ "NFL Pro Bowl Series". NFL Pro Bowl Series. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
- ^ a b Schottey, Michael (June 2, 2016). "NFL Pro Bowl's Move to Orlando Provides Chance to Reinvigorate the Event". Forbes.
- ^ "Goodell: Pro Bowl may not continue in current format". NFL.com. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
- ^ Fletcher, Dan (January 29, 2010). "Is the NFL Pro Bowl Broken?". Time. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
While the Pro Bowl managed to sell out Dolphins Stadium, the game usually pulls down mediocre TV ratings; it's the only major all-star game that draws lower ratings than regular-season matchups.
- ^ Finn, Chad (February 1, 2013). "Pro Bowl may be mocked, but it's popular". Boston Globe. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- ^ "NFC reels in five picks to throttle AFC in Pro Bowl". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 30, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
The NFC's 55-41 victory, a game not nearly as interesting as that score would indicate, did nothing to repair the tattered image of the NFL's all-star contest.
- ^ "Brandon Marshall catches Pro Bowl-record 4 TDs in AFC's win". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 30, 2012. Archived from the original on January 30, 2012.
- ^ Crawford, Fred R. (1990). "The First Pro Bowl Game" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. 12 (4). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 31, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
- ^ Gill, Bob (1983). "The Best Of The Rest: Part One" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. 5 (11). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 31, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Pro Bowl game approved by National Grid League". The Palm Beach Post. AP. June 4, 1950. p. 21. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
- ^ Players defend Pro Bowl after 62-35 NFC win Archived 2013-02-16 at archive.today. Associated Press. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "NFL Pro Bowl rosters to be determined by draft". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2014-04-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "2015 Pro Bowl To Be Played in Arizona, 2016 Pro Bowl Slated for Hawaii". National Football League. April 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
- ^ Marvez, Alex (March 23, 2015). "NFL considering Brazil to host 2017 Pro Bowl". Fox Sports. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- ^ Brady, James. "NFL exploring Mexico, Germany and other markets to host games". SB Nation. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- ^ Soshnick, Scott (May 19, 2016). The NFL Pro Bowl Is Moving to Orlando. Bloomberg.. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
- ^ Orr, Conor (June 1, 2016). "Orlando Pro Bowl returning to AFC-NFC format in 2017". NFL. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
- ^ "The NFL is getting wild, adds dodgeball and other events to Pro Bowl week". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- ^ "NFL cancels 2021 Pro Bowl Game due to COVID-19". nfl.com.
- ^ "NFL cancels 2021 Pro Bowl Game due to COVID-19". NFL.com. October 14, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ Gilbert, John P. (January 10, 2019). "Russell Wilson makes the NFC Pro Bowl squad". FieldGulls.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ "Marchibroda, Knox Pro Bowl Coaches". Tampa Bay Times. December 28, 1977. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Parcells Needs Rest, Passes on Pro Bowl". LA Times. January 27, 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ^ Wyche, Steve (December 28, 2009). "Pro Bowl selections, like game itself, will have new wrinkles". NFL.com. National Football League. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
- ^ "All-Time Results". 2011 NFL Pro Bowl Official Game Program. NFL Publishing: 191–92. 2011. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
- ^ Michael David Smith, “Not much tackling, not much running at the Pro Bowl”, NBC news, January 28, 2018.
- ^ "2011 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Facts and Figures". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
- ^ "2011 Pro Bowl: Time, Announcers, Rosters And More For NFL's All-Star Event". Retrieved 2011-01-30.
- ^ "TWO NEW RULES TO BE TESTED AT PRO BOWL". NFL Ops. January 21, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ Corbett, Jim (February 11, 2008). "Peterson helps NFC roar back for Pro Bowl crown". USA Today. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Matt. "NFL". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ Percy, Ethan (October 8, 2013). "New NFL Pro Bowl Uniforms Look More Like Oregon Vs. Oklahoma State". B'more2Boston. Retrieved November 10, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Giants Beat Stars; Ward Cuff Is Hero". Milwaukee Journal. UP. January 16, 1939. p. L-7. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
- ^ "The 1952 Pro Bowl". Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Saturday game
- ^ a b c d e Monday night game
- ^ Filled in for then-Jets head coach Bill Parcells
- ^ "NFL Pro Bowl Selections Career Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
- ^ Leibowitz, Ben (February 6, 2016). "25 Facts About Quarterback Peyton Manning". Arizona Daily Sun. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
- ^ Molloy, Tim and Lucas Shaw (September 8, 2011). 'Monday Night Football' to Remain on ESPN Through 2021. The Wrap. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ "2016 Pro Bowl Lowest Rated in Ten Years, Least-Watched in Nine". SportsMediaWatch.com. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
- ^ "NFL lifts TV blackout as Pro Bowl nears sell out". The Seattle Times. 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
- ^ Pro Bowl Blackout Date Extended (KHOU-TV) Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Keisel on Pro Bowl: They "should have just put flags" on players". Profootballtalk.com. January 30, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ^ "Goodell: NFL could drop Pro Bowl". Sports Illustrated. February 5, 2012. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- ^ "Roger Goodell indicates Pro Bowl's future in doubt". National Football League. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ^ "2016 NFL Pro Bowl: The most declined invitation in history".
- ^ Hill, Jemele (December 9, 2008). "Take away the fan vote". ESPN. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
- ^ Tucker, Ross. NFL Pro Bowl voting among players should be consistent. SI.com
- ^ Terrell Suggs: Teams hate Patriots. ESPN.com. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Steelers: All-time underrated, overrated players".
External links[edit]
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pro Bowl. |
- Official site
- The Complete History of the Pro Bowl
- The NFL's official website
- Online Fan Voting Ballot Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine
- "Pro Bowl Game Books 1971–2011". NFL Game Statistics & Information System. National Football League. Archived from the original on January 30, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
