What can the NFL do to make the ProBowl watchable?

[Leroy Jenkins]

How can it be incentivized for the players to actually try?
Also, why is it not after the season is over? I mean, Ryan Tannehill is a "ProBowl QB" because Mahomes is still playing.
Anyone who has a hangnail will not participate and then you get 20 "alternates" who are now "ProBowl caliber players", when they wouldn't have made it otherwise. I get that these guys don't want to play hard and risk injury in a meaningless game,(completely understandable) but if that's the case just do away with the whole thing. I honestly don't think much can reasonably be done to fix it because of the physical nature of football.

[defiantdog]

its the NFL version of the Senior Bowl. They should incentivize the players by giving them bonuses based on performance.

[Dawgface]

Nothing.

[RocketDawg]

I'd forgotten they were playing.

[msstate7]

Tannehill led the nfl in passer rating.

[MetEdDawg]

You can't I don't think. It's the only major sport where the inherent nature of it is to make contact with other people. That brings about injuries. And people don't want injuries in an exhibition like that.

The game doesn't lend itself to an exhibition because of that. I honestly would much rather them publicize the skills challenges more than they do now. That to me is way more interesting and exciting to watch.

[DawgFan85]

NOTHING!

[defiantdog]

Tannehill led the nfl in passer rating.
Drew Brees did..... barely..... but with double the attempts

[DeputyDawg94]

They should just stop “playing” the game. Nobody wants to be there and nobody watches it. I don’t blame players for not participating. No need to risk injury for that BS.

[parabrave]

Remember when they had the old Superstars competition show in the 70s. It pitted the SB teams against each other doing boat races and stuff like that. That was more entertaining the this stuff they put on.

[BuckyIsAB****]

It used to be watchable bc they used to play for more than just money. I remember Shawn Taylor knocking the teeth out of Tom Brady's head. If he did that now he would be banished to Siberia.

Thats the biggest reason for its decline and the NFL's decline. They are insulting the game by going out there and playing like they do. Tackling in the NFL is awful in case yall havent noticed and its even worse in this game

[Cooterpoot]

Eliminate it. Just name an all pro team and move on. It's not a sport that needs an all star game.

[msstate7]

Eliminate it. Just name an all pro team and move on. It's not a sport that needs an all star game.

Fine with it. I wish they'd give a week off before playoffs instead and then super bowl just next week after conference championships

[TALL DAWG]

Fine with it. I wish they'd give a week off before playoffs instead and then super bowl just next week after conference championships

I haven?t watched the game since Dak was a rookie starter. And, hadn?t watched one for probably 5-6 yrs before that.

However, one big thing they could do would be to actually put more of the correct players
in the game. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY Calhoun(the rookie OG for Packers from MSU) should not have been in the game! I believe into 16th week of the regular season he had not allowed a SINGLE sack. Not one! Couple of national talking heads mentioned he should be considered for rookie of the year! I watched the 1st half of their playoff game against 49ers and he has dominating his man and made some good blocks on pull plays.

[Gypsy_RoadDawg]

They should just stop “playing” the game. Nobody wants to be there and nobody watches it. I don’t blame players for not participating. No need to risk injury for that BS.

I agree, there is no reason to even play this game.

[Political Hack]

It should be skills and completion and autograph signing and face painting and carnival rides. No game necessary. Hell, flag and 7 on 7 are more fun to watch.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Fine with it. I wish they'd give a week off before playoffs instead and then super bowl just next week after conference championships

Agreed. A week off between the last regular season game and the start of the playoffs would be better than 2 weeks between the conf championships and superbowl.

[Hot Rock]

The can have Pro Bowlers and just name them or play the game if it's a profitable day, I don't care. I didn't watch and I don not care. I doubt there is anything that can be done to make me care enough to watch short of someone I know personally playing in it. Then, I might go and watch it in person.

[Irondawg]

I saw some highlights of the goofy stuff and it looked fun. The dodgeball game was entertaining (Props to Jarvis Landry).

It should be a celebration / fan event with just some stupid games to honor the players and raise money for NFL charities. Plus some opportunities for silly bragging rights. Maybe you have a "fastest man" or "most accurate" or something along those lines for kicks

[SheltonChoked]

How can it be incentivized for the players to actually try?
Also, why is it not after the season is over? I mean, Ryan Tannehill is a "ProBowl QB" because Mahomes is still playing.
Anyone who has a hangnail will not participate and then you get 20 "alternates" who are now "ProBowl caliber players", when they wouldn't have made it otherwise. I get that these guys don't want to play hard and risk injury in a meaningless game,(completely understandable) but if that's the case just do away with the whole thing. I honestly don't think much can reasonably be done to fix it because of the physical nature of football.

They cannot.

The Probowl died 20 years ago with Robert Edwards knee. https://www.patspulpit.com/2019/1/27/18199260/pro-bowl-20-years-robert-edwards-injury-new-england-patriots

Too risky for players, that have non guaranteed contracts, to do anything but go through the motions.

They had to move it to Orlando to even get players to go.

I like the skills competition better, I'd like to see more guys invited to do that part.

[KentuckyDawg13]

Make Fletcher Cox a running back.

[Rayburn8]

I haven?t watched the game since Dak was a rookie starter. And, hadn?t watched one for probably 5-6 yrs before that.

However, one big thing they could do would be to actually put more of the correct players
in the game. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY Calhoun(the rookie OG for Packers from MSU) should not have been in the game! I believe into 16th week of the regular season he had not allowed a SINGLE sack. Not one! Couple of national talking heads mentioned he should be considered for rookie of the year! I watched the 1st half of their playoff game against 49ers and he has dominating his man and made some good blocks on pull plays.

Dude if you are going to homer out for MSU, at least get the player?s name right. Elgton Jenkins plays guard for the Packers.

[dawgs]

NOTHING!


Too risky for players, that have non guaranteed contracts, to do anything but go through the motions.

Pretty much this. And given what we know now about CTE, if I was a player I wouldn't take any unnecessary hits. Highly unlikely just a few hits from the pro bowl pushes one over the proverbial edge with CTE, but reducing the number in practices, preseason, glorified scrimmages (which the pro bowl is), etc. could save a player the equivalent of a few seasons worth of head trauma over a career.

Plus, the average nfl player's career is like 3 years. Mainly cause they get beat up so fast, all but the elite talents are replaceable by a younger model within a few years. I wouldn't chance more harm for the pro bowl. We talk about work lods on RBs and we can literally look at the data and see how guys usually start losing steps and breaking down after 1800 carries. If I'm a RB, no chance I wanna use up some of my carries in a scrimmage. I wanna keep my health as long as possible to maximize the value of my career. A guy rolling over my ankle on a routine tackle in the pro bowl and they could effectively be the end of my career (or at least the chances of signing a big FA contract) because the talent margins are so slim for a lot of these guys.