Is the Current Pro Bowl Format Worth It?
This Sunday, you’ll get a front row seat to see an NFL flag football game. And not just any flag football game, this one is played by NFL players including Philadelphia players such as D’Andre Swift, Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, JJ Reddick, Landon Dickerson, Haason Reddick, and Darius Slay.
And who cares that they only won one game after Thanksgiving and exited the playoffs after a Wild Card Game in Tampa that looked like the Eagles were playing flag football and the Buccaneers were tackling?
In fact, Tampa was the only team tackling that day.
So while the Eagles devise a plan to return to their former glory (2022–2023 glory, that is) who’s up for some flag football known as the Pro Bowl Games Championships?
The NFL’s All-Star Game has probably always made less sense than others. MLB’s home-run derby, and NBA/NHL All-Star Weekends including NBA/NHL Skills Competition, all make far more sense than the Pro Bowl.
The first NFL Pro Bowl was played in 1951 in Los Angeles. In January 1951, Paul Brown’s AFC team defeated Joe Stydahar’s NFC team 28–27 in front of over 53,000 fans.
Tackling was replaced in the Pro Bowl in 2022 by a skills competition and a flag football game which is the current format.
But perhaps the NFL fanfare and flag football championships are masking the most rewarding part of the weekend. This weekend, 58 kids from 12 countries will travel to Orlando Florida for the second International Flag Championships.
It’s what the focus should truly be on.
Michael Thomas Leibrandt
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