4 thoughts on the NFL Pro Bowl
It’s all fun and games
By: Ross Blilie
The NFL Pro Bowl used to be something worth being part of. I think NFL players used to take the game seriously. Moreover, I think players used to take pride in getting selected. Now, as a fan of the game of professional football, the pro bowl has changed significantly.
I have four thoughts on the NFL’s Pro Bowl.
1.It’s all fun and games
Since 2023, the NFL has changed the format of the game from a contact game to a non contact flag football game. The biggest reason they changed the format was two-fold. To avoid injuries and to increase television ratings. Many analysts and color commentators expressed their discontentment with how the players were not fully participating in the game. The lack of quality combined with low ratings did not make for good tv. The NFL and the Manning brothers partnered up and decided to change the format to something fun to draw a bigger crowd.
2.The NFC always wins
For as long as I can remember, the player representatives for the NFC seem to always win over the player reps for the AFC. I wonder why that is?
3.The ballot system favors the most popular players
How often do you see a player that you’ve never heard of on the NFC or AFC Pro Bowl roster? Never. The guys that actually try and do well during the season never get picked. It’s like being picked to be the prom king and queen. It’s a popularity contest. Some people would say that’s a big reason why the NFL is rigged.
4.The Pro Bowl is overrated
With the change in format, the Pro Bowl is becoming an overrated annual tradition. The players and coachs don’t get anything out of participating except name recognition. Hence, that’s why the voting system is more a popularity contest. If you’re a household name, you’ll automatically get selected to attend the Pro Bowl Games with Peyton and Eli. That’s why it’s overrated.
In summary, the NFL’s Pro Bowl has changed the face of the NFL. Its popularity has gained in recent years along with the format. Some people argue that the games are a nice change to a boring game that no one really wanted to play because they didn’t want to get hurt. I understand. Now, it’s all fun and no contact. Some people would argue that the new format is overrated. Whatever your thoughts are, the Pro Bowl Games are not going anywhere for the foreseeable future.
Ross Blilie is an avid NFL fan of the Minnesota Vikings since the 1990’s. He loves to talk about the NFL. He also enjoys attending the University Of North Dakota Men’s Hockey games in Grand Forks, ND. His hobbies also include bowling with his wife and friends, narrating audiobooks, fishing, and even sitting by a campfire with family at Lake Blackduck in Minnesota. You can find Ross on the X app @Rossthenarrator and @pigskintalespod.
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