It’s finally happened. The NFL finally got wise and ditched the Pro Bowl game in favor of a skills competition. That change starts in 2023 in Las Vegas.
For years the Pro Bowl had become a snooze fest, with most players just going through the motions and trying not to get hurt in a meaningless game.
All the while players would simply opt out for any number of reasons, causing the NFL to dig deep into the alternates which would water down the lineups anyway.
A few years ago, the NFL decided to bring back the skills competition, which has been far more popular than the actual game. Now they have made the decision to keep the skills competition along with a flag football game, and toss the game as it was previously played.
NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with a multi-day skills competition and flag football game that will be played in Las Vegas the Sunday before the Super Bowl.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 26, 2022
A spirited game of flag football would be more interesting and fun than the game had become. Much like the game of dodgeball the players have engaged in as part of the skills competition.
With the game no more, that means the final Pro Bowl MVP’s ever were Chargers QB Justin Herbert and Raiders DE Maxx Crosby.