What do current and former Chicago Bears players such as Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, Drew Dalman, and Joe Thuney all have in common? They are among the last group of players who will ever participate in the Pro Bowl games.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced they are ending the polarizing Pro Bowl games after making countless attempts to tweak and change the format in order to have a more competitive event. Jonathan Jones of The Athletic broke the news first.
Instead of holding a formal event that consists of mini games and flag football, the NFL will simply honor individuals who are selected as Pro Bowlers with no alternates named. Jones writes that players who are selected will be honored in Los Angeles during Super Bowl week. The NFL will now
be the first big-four sport to not have a traditional all-star game or event.
The Pro Bowl has existed in some shape or form since 1951. During its heyday, players would travel to Hawaii the week after the Super Bowl for a week of vacation and relaxation before playing one final competitive football game that featured high scoring but also big hits.
During the 2010s, the Pro Bowl shifted from Hawaii to Orlando before moving to various destinations. The game itself also slowly morphed into a non-competitive outing before becoming actual flag football with various activities while ratings plummeted. All while players opted out of the game and undeserving alternates had to be named in their place.
Over the course of the last decade or so, fans have been clamoring for big changes to the Pro Bowl, with many in favor of cancelling the game completely. The NFL listened, and they finally got their wish.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: NFL announces major change to Pro Bowl
