The Pro Bowl is no more.
The NFL is ending its all-star game, which had been held in some form every year since 1951. Jonathan Jones of The Athletic broke the news Wednesday afternoon.
“All-star games, I think, for all leagues have been fraught for a long time, and they haven’t necessarily represented the very best premium of that sport for those players,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events, told The Athletic. “I think all leagues have struggled with that. We made the switch four years ago from the ‘tackle’ Pro Bowl to the flag game, and that was more strategic for us. In many ways, we saw a decrease in the replacement players.
“But ultimately, the Pro Bowl, at its core, is about honoring the best of the best in that season, on the field, in real games. And the shift here is about shifting the focus from the game — which is ultimately where people’s attention goes, especially the replacement players tied to it — to the honor.”
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Players will continue to be recognized as Pro Bowl selections, but no games will be held. The Pro Bowl moved away from a tackle football game, and had held skills competitions with a flag football game in recent years. With no game being held, the Pro Bowl selection process will no longer include alternates.
BREAKING: The NFL Pro Bowl is being eliminated.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 26, 2026
On Wednesday, league executives presented to team owners the future of the Pro Bowl, which will no longer have a standalone game — be it tackle or flag football — or games.
Eighty-eight players will receive the Pro Bowl honor with… pic.twitter.com/EV2UyCX4Dq
The 2026 NFL regular season is set to begin on Sept. 9.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
