RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Pro Bowl will remain on NFL players’ résumés, but the league’s annual all-star competition is coming to an end.
According to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic , NFL executives informed team owners Wednesday that the league will no longer conduct a standalone Pro Bowl game, whether in tackle, flag football or another format. Instead, the NFL will recognize 88 players as Pro Bowlers and invite them to an in-person celebration in Los Angeles in February. Alternates will no longer receive the designation, making the honor more exclusive.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was among more than a dozen prominent players consulted while the league considered the Pro Bowl’s future. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent Sr. held a call that also included Jalen Ramsey, George Kittle and Dion Dawkins. Players expressed a desire to be properly recognized for earning the honor, including those participating in the Super Bowl. The changing formats and the growing number of replacements had blurred the distinction between being selected as a Pro Bowler and being added later because another player was unavailable.
Hurts’ inclusion in the discussion allowed one of the league’s most accomplished quarterbacks to help shape how future selections will be celebrated. He did not make the decision alone, but his participation reflected the NFL’s effort to hear directly from players affected by the change.
The selection process will remain intact. Fans, players and coaches will continue casting ballots, with each group accounting for one-third of the final vote. The difference will come after the original 88 players are announced. Injuries, withdrawals and Super Bowl participation will no longer create additional Pro Bowlers.
That distinction carries more than ceremonial value. Pro Bowl selections can activate contract incentives for veterans, affect performance escalators for players selected after the first round and increase the value of fifth-year options for former first-round picks. The NFL has held some version of the Pro Bowl since 1951. Skills competitions and flag football eventually replaced the traditional tackle game, but those changes failed to restore the event’s importance.
The league is now removing the game while preserving the individual award. For Hurts and the other players surveyed, the goal was clear: Make being named a Pro Bowler meaningful again.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: NFL ends Pro Bowl game after consulting Jalen Hurts and other stars
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