Apparently a Pro Bowl, well, event that included Joe Flacco and Shedeur Sanders was a bridge too far.
The NFL will officially eliminate the Pro Bowl as a competition and simply apply the honorific to deserving players, many of whom have contract escalators for being named a Pro Bowler. The league made the announcement Wednesday, Aug. 26. The move also aligns with the NFL's ongoing initiatives to emphasize player safety. Playing an all-star exhibition, in any form, didn't square nicely with that objective.
Moving forward, the AFC and NFC rosters will continue to be constructed with 44 players apiece. However with no need for last-minute replacements, there won't be a dilution to the honor that had become so commonplace in recent years. Players, coaches and fans will continue to annually supply equally weighted votes to determine the 88 Pro Bowlers.
"The Pro Bowl has always been about recognizing the players who distinguish themselves as the very best in the NFL," said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's EVP of club business, international and league events.
"A Pro Bowl selection will return to its original purpose, honoring the best of the best. We want that distinction to carry even greater meaning for the players, their families, their clubs and our fans."
#league
The NFL will officially eliminate the Pro Bowl as a competition and simply apply the honorific to deserving players, many of whom have contract escalators for being named a Pro Bowler. The league made the announcement Wednesday, Aug. 26. The move also aligns with the NFL's ongoing initiatives to emphasize player safety. Playing an all-star exhibition, in any form, didn't square nicely with that objective.
Moving forward, the AFC and NFC rosters will continue to be constructed with 44 players apiece. However with no need for last-minute replacements, there won't be a dilution to the honor that had become so commonplace in recent years. Players, coaches and fans will continue to annually supply equally weighted votes to determine the 88 Pro Bowlers.
"The Pro Bowl has always been about recognizing the players who distinguish themselves as the very best in the NFL," said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's EVP of club business, international and league events.
"A Pro Bowl selection will return to its original purpose, honoring the best of the best. We want that distinction to carry even greater meaning for the players, their families, their clubs and our fans."
#league
2 months ago
