NFL replaces Professional Bowl with ‘The Professional Bowl Video games’ that includes weeklong expertise competitions, flag soccer recreation

The NFL is changing the Professional Bowl with weeklong expertise competitions and a flag soccer recreation, The Related Press has discovered.

The brand new occasion will exchange the full-contact showcase began in 1951. Will probably be renamed “The Professional Bowl Video games” and can function AFC and NFC gamers showcasing their soccer and non-football expertise in challenges over a number of days. The 2023 Video games can be held in Las Vegas, and the flag soccer recreation at Allegiant Stadium is Sunday, Feb. 5.

Peyton Manning and his Omaha Productions firm will assist form programming and promote the occasion’s content material all through the week. Manning, a 14-time Professional Bowl choose throughout his Corridor of Fame profession, will present his perspective and also will be part of the teaching employees for flag recreation.

“The Professional Bowl is one thing that we have been taking a look at for some time, actually persevering with to evolve,” NFL govt Peter O’Reilly instructed The Related Press. “Popping out of final 12 months’s recreation, we actually made the choice based mostly on a number of inside conversations, getting suggestions from GMs and coaches, getting a number of suggestions from gamers. We predict there’s an actual alternative to do one thing wholly completely different right here and transfer away from the normal deal with soccer recreation. We determined the purpose is to have fun 88 of the largest stars within the NFL in a extremely optimistic, enjoyable, but aggressive approach.

“The suggestions very instantly from guys who had been within the Professional Bowl lately was to maintain the assemble of the week, be sure to’re having that multi-day aspect. It was overwhelmingly optimistic each from gamers in addition to from golf equipment.”

The Professional Bowl debuted in January of 1951 in Los Angeles and stayed there for 21 seasons earlier than the sport moved to completely different cities from 1972-80. Hawaii hosted from 1980-2009, and the sport has had a number of properties within the years since, together with Miami, Phoenix, Orlando and Las Vegas.

High quality of play within the Professional Bowl has usually been criticized. Gamers, understandably involved about getting damage, deal with it as an exhibition greater than competitors. A flag soccer recreation may enhance competitors whereas avoiding potential accidents ensuing from tackling, blocking and hitting.

The NFL has a serious curiosity in flag soccer. The league partnered with the Worldwide Federation of American Soccer to carry flag soccer to The World Video games in July with a watch on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“You faucet into all of the stuff that feels nice about Professional Bowl week, the abilities, the helmets off, the engagement after which culminate that, maintaining the AFC-NFC assemble, in one thing that is actually essential, which is flag soccer and that chance to have the perfect athletes within the NFL on the market taking part in this recreation that’s a lot about the way forward for our sport,” mentioned O’Reilly, the league’s govt vice chairman, membership enterprise and league occasions. “It has been an evolution, however popping out of Las Vegas final 12 months, we actually centered on how will we reinvent and have fun our all-stars even higher.”

The league plans to announce the brand new format on Monday.

“The Professional Bowl has all the time been a time to step again and have fun the sport of soccer with teammates, followers and household,” Manning instructed the AP. “I am grateful I can proceed to be a part of the week as all of us at Omaha Productions work with the NFL to reimagine The Professional Bowl Video games. Making Sunday’s recreation a flag soccer recreation is nice to see. Youth soccer has been extraordinarily essential to me, and understanding NFL FLAG will assist develop this sport, I hope girls and boys can see themselves taking part in the identical recreation as the perfect gamers on this planet.”

Fan voting will nonetheless assist decide the AFC and NFC workforce rosters. Tom Brady has probably the most invites to the Professional Bowl with 15. 4 gamers received 14 invitations, together with Manning. The East-West Shrine Bowl can be held at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 2.