NFL permanently ends Pro Bowl game, keeps player honors

The National Football League announced on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, that it is permanently eliminating the Pro Bowl Games, ending decades of all-star game iterations. The league will continue to recognize 88 players annually as Pro Bowlers, but the event will no longer include a tackle football game, flag football matchup, or skills competitions. Instead, the selected players will be honored during an in-person celebration in Los Angeles during Super Bowl week in February 2027. The decision was presented to team owners by NFL executives, including Peter O'Reilly, the league's executive vice president of club business, international and league events.