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The NFL is officially ending the Pro Bowl.
The league announced on Wednesday, August 26 that the NFL is getting rid of the Pro Bowl. Instead, the league will simply be honoring players who get voted into the Pro Bowl. There will be no “replacements” moving forward.
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“All-star games, I think, for all leagues have been fraught for a long time, and they haven’t necessarily represented the very best premium of that sport for those players,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events, told The Athletic. “I think all leagues have struggled with that. We made the switch four years ago from the ‘tackle’ Pro Bowl to the flag game, and that was more strategic for us. In many ways, we saw a decrease in the replacement players.
“But ultimately, the Pro Bowl, at its core, is about honoring the best of the best in that season, on the field, in real games. And the shift here is about shifting the focus from the game — which is ultimately where people’s attention goes, especially the replacement players tied to it — to the honor.”
In recent years, we’ve seen a ton of, frankly, undeserving players get bumped up to Pro Bowl honors due to dropouts.
Last year, Shedeur Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but made the Pro Bowl after so many other quarterbacks dropped out.
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In previous years, similar things have happened, as quarterbacks often don’t want to play in the Pro Bowl after a long, tiring season.
NFL fans joke Shedeur Sanders was ‘final’ straw
“Pro Bowl QB Shedeur Sanders was the final straw,” Tom Fornelli joked on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Other fans added.
“Pro bowl QB Mitch Trubisky was the exact moment they should have discontinued it,” one fan added.
“Tyler Huntley was what began discussions,” one fan added.
“NFL saw Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley in the Pro Bowl and had to put a stop to it,” one fan added.
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What do you think was the NFL’s final straw for the Pro Bowl?
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This story was originally published August 26, 2026 at 2:45 PM.