NFL considering eliminating Pro Bowl Game

[dieterbrock]

I'd like to see a skills challenge instead of the pro bowl. Kickers hitting 70 yard field goals. WRs catching the ball one handed, QB's throwing at targets, etc.

Better than seeing a half hearted effort of a real game.

Yeah, I'm all about the skills challenges. Anyone remember battle of the network stars? Kinda like that but with NFL pro bowlers...

You guys beat me to it...
I havent watched a pro bowl in forever. But what I would watch? A team skills competition, AFC vs NFC. Could be really fun. The scouting combine became a bigger TV event than the Pro-Bowl, so why not draw from that?
Kicking and Punting would be pretty straight forward, passing as well. For WR and RB, they could run an obstacle course? Oline vs Dline in tug of war?

 

[nighttrain]

You guys beat me to it...
I havent watched a pro bowl in forever. But what I would watch? A team skills competition, AFC vs NFC. Could be really fun. The scouting combine became a bigger TV event than the Pro-Bowl, so why not draw from that?
Kicking and Punting would be pretty straight forward, passing as well. For WR and RB, they could run an obstacle course? Oline vs Dline in tug of war?

this would be watchable..
train

 

[dieterbrock]

this would be watchable..
train

Especially if the skills competitions were drawn randomly....
Kickers vs Punters in tug of war?
Oline vs Dline in obstacle course?
QB's having to kick Fg and Punt?
WR doing passing drills??

 

[1maGoh]

You guys beat me to it...
I havent watched a pro bowl in forever. But what I would watch? A team skills competition, AFC vs NFC. Could be really fun. The scouting combine became a bigger TV event than the Pro-Bowl, so why not draw from that?
Kicking and Punting would be pretty straight forward, passing as well. For WR and RB, they could run an obstacle course? Oline vs Dline in tug of war?

O line/D line power lifting competition.

 

[Allen2McVay]

"NFL Considering Eliminating the Pro Bowl Game"

I don't know why this is a thing.

The players "Eliminated the Game" from the Pro Bowl weekend a long-time-ago.

 

[Jacobarch]

Flag football? Lol wtf is happening???

They should just have individual contest. Make it fun. I dunno the pro bowl used to be an event that players coveted. Now it's just a chip they can use to get a bigger payday. Shrugs

 

[RamFanWA]

Some of these idea's sound interesting - and certainly more exciting than the current Pro Bowl format, where one rarely gets hit and actual football is not truly on display. I think it will be difficult to devise a competition where football skills and competitiveness are showcased.

For instance, Cooper Kupp may not win in any individual competitive event (whatever those events would be), but on the field, in real game situations, he is a monster! The same may be true for AD99 - I don't know. Then again, maybe knife catching would draw a crowd!

 

[Selassie I]

I loved watching those skills challenges back in the day. It allowed fans a peek under the helmet so to speak because the players were in shorts and t-shirts. They were basically mic'ed up too which wasn't around back then. We got to see and hear these guys as actual people instead of what we saw during the games. It was revealing and fascinating.

I may be mistaken... but I think they stopped doing these because a player actually got injured during one. That's what I think I remember anyway LOL.

Players today would pass on these skills competitions just like they do with the Pro Bowl... probably even more so. I would love to watch them go at it like they used to, but they stopped doing it for a reason. Otherwise it never would have ended in the first place.

To get these guys to perform physical feats that could even have the smallest risk of injury is a big waste of time. It's not just the players worried about it either... it's the teams too. Many players have contracts with clauses that prevent them from doing things in their normal lives that could lead to possible injuries... the teams put those in. There is just too much money involved now. Nobody can afford the risk.

Hell... it's gotten so bad now that college players are sitting out of Bowl games to make sure they don't get injured. Actual meaningful Bowl games. Who would have thought that would ever happen.

If we're being honest about it... the only type of competition that players and teams might be OK with are activities that have ZERO chance of injury. I can think of a few that would make for great ratings.

1) Beer Chugging Contest
2) Head to Head video game matches... I would have no interest in this but I bet many would.
3) Jeopardy Tournament... without Aaron Asshat

I'm sure there are a bunch of risk-free contests that would be awesome to get these guys to compete in... but the Pro Bowl and anything else that involves risk is really just a waste of time nowadays.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I'd like to see a skills challenge instead of the pro bowl. Kickers hitting 70 yard field goals. WRs catching the ball one handed, QB's throwing at targets, etc.

Better than seeing a half hearted effort of a real game.

This is the way to go, IMO.

I enjoyed the skills challenges they've had in the past.
I can't remember the last time they had one, though.

 

[AZRams]

 

[Merlin]

Video games could be cool @Selassie I. Nice thing about doing something like that is you can do it anywhere. But they could set that up where the fans get up close to the players and even play them. Could be like a players vs fans in a few different seleted games like Madden or Call of Duty. And also have a bit of a championship with say Madden for bragging rights.

I think the players and fans would enjoy that. And boy would the Madden franchise get a bump from that, win-win.

 

[Selassie I]

Video games could be cool @Selassie I. Nice thing about doing something like that is you can do it anywhere. But they could set that up where the fans get up close to the players and even play them. Could be like a players vs fans in a few different seleted games like Madden or Call of Duty. And also have a bit of a championship with say Madden for bragging rights.

I think the players and fans would enjoy that. And boy would the Madden franchise get a bump from that, win-win.

Hopefully they send me a check for giving them the plan. LOL

 

[OregonRamsFan]

Yeah, I'm all about the skills challenges. Anyone remember battle of the network stars? Kinda like that but with NFL pro bowlers...

Yep, great for engaging the fan base. I really enjoyed viewing those NFL player challenges as a kid.

 

[RamFan503]

The game used to be watchable and even fun back when it was played AFTER the SB. Go back to that and have them play a real game with actual injury being the only opt out.

Today's Probowl is a joke. No fire, no effort. Just a bunch of guys running half speed and seeing how far a QB can throw the rock. Yawn.

As a kid, I liked watching to see my Rams helmets in with the others. The players also seemed to take pride in playing in it and putting on a show for the fans. And yes... The skills competition was always fun.

 

[Allen2McVay]

The game used to be watchable and even fun back when it was played AFTER the SB. Go back to that and have them play a real game with actual injury being the only opt out.

Today's Pro Bowl is a joke. No fire, no effort. Just a bunch of guys running half speed and seeing how far a QB can throw the rock. Yawn.

As a kid, I liked watching to see my Rams helmets in with the others. The players also seemed to take pride in playing in it and putting on a show for the fans. And yes... The skills competition was always fun.

I agree with you but I don't think you can make these guys play a hard, physical game. I even get it from a risk-of-injury-POV. If fans don't enjoy whatever the hell it is that they are doing out there, because it's not a football game, I think you just cancel it.

If enough fans would be entertained by some of the athletic and entertainment events suggested on this thread, go with that. To each their own. Personally I enjoy watching the best football players play football but have zero interest in then doing anything else.

 

[RamDino]

The Rams played 21 games last year. That's too much football in my opinion, and they want the NFL stars to play another one? Just eliminate the pro bowl and come up with something more fun. If the Kardashians can get rich and famous off a reality TV show then think of what a show with NFL pro-bowlers could do.

 

[nighttrain]

If enough fans would be entertained by some of the athletic and entertainment events suggested on this thread, go with that.

This could be a watchable event.
train

 

[MadGoat]

I may be mistaken... but I think they stopped doing these because a player actually got injured during one. That's what I think I remember anyway LOL.

There may have been another skills injury as well, but the biggest non-game injury I remember is the Patriots rookie RB, Robert Edwards, destroying his knee playing beach football during the Pro Bowl festivities. He had just put up 1500 yards and 12 TDs as a rookie.

 

[RamFan503]

I agree with you but I don't think you can make these guys play a hard, physical game. I even get it from a risk-of-injury-POV. If fans don't enjoy whatever the hell it is that they are doing out there, because it's not a football game, I think you just cancel it.

If enough fans would be entertained by some of the athletic and entertainment events suggested on this thread, go with that. To each their own. Personally I enjoy watching the best football players play football but have zero interest in then doing anything else.

Yeah... I'm not even really advocating they keep the game. But if they're going to have it, make it something worth watching. I always thought it was a good game as a kid. They didn't play like it was a playoff game but they also didn't just jog around and they seemed to take pride in being there.

 

[ottoman89]

Thank fuckin God. Pro Bowl hasn't been the same since Sean Taylor blew up the Bills punter.