The NFL ends the Pro Bowl game after nearly 75 years, according to a league announcement Wednesday. The league says the exhibition in which top players competed will no longer be held, following decades of annual or near-annual staging dating back to 1951.
Instead of holding the game, the NFL plans to “elevate” Pro Bowl selections and will honor the players chosen for the roster after the season. The league says 88 players will still be named as Pro Bowlers and recognized in Los Angeles. CBS News reports there are no replacement selections, meaning players are honored based on the official selections.
Outlets agree the recognition continues even though the on-field game does not. Yahoo Sports emphasizes that the change is intended to preserve the Pro Bowl’s purpose of recognizing top performers. While details of the format of the post-season honors are described broadly by the NFL, all accounts reflect that the selections remain, but participation in a competitive Pro Bowl contest ends.
