This year’s Pro Bowl has a new location. The annual event took place in Hawaii in 31 of the past 32 years, but the NFL decided to move it to Orlando, one of many changes to the NFL all-star game.
Pro Bowl 2017: Time, TV schedule, and news for NFL’s all-star game
There’s a new venue and a new format this year.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
In 2016, the Pro Bowl ratings dropped once again, leading the league to decide to revamp the format.
Other than adding a surprisingly fun Skills Showdown, the Pro Bowl is also back to the conference-based format, which means players from the AFC will face players from NFC in the Pro Bowl.
As usual, a number of players declined to participate. Tom Brady has yet another Super Bowl to prepare for, as does Matt Ryan. Ben Roethlisberger and Derek Carr are dealing with injuries. Aaron Rodgers was like, “nah, I’m good.”
So now the quarterbacks are Andy Dalton, Alex Smith, and Philip Rivers for the AFC, and Kirk Cousins, Drew Brees, and Dak Prescott for the NFC. Only Prescott was on the original roster.
Rivers, who was the final injury replacement in the Pro Bowl, gets one more opportunity to play his last game as a San Diego Charger. Next time he takes the field with the Chargers, it’ll be in Los Angeles.
Despite all the people who dropped out, there are other players on this roster who will be fun to watch, like running backs Ezekiel Elliott and DeMarco Murray, as well as receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyreek Hill.
Elliott ran for a league-high 1,631 yards and will most likely win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The former Ohio State Buckeye wreaked havoc on opposing defenses and was a threat almost every time he touched the ball. Hill, a fellow rookie, is a dynamic player who he can score from anywhere on the field.
Jerome Bettis and Ray Lewis are captains for the AFC team, which will be led by Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff.
The Dallas Cowboys staff will coach the NFC, with Tony Gonzalez and Charles Woodson as the team captains.
Both teams will try to get creative in this game and reach into a bag of tricks. Maybe Michael Bennett will switch positions with Elliott. Or perhaps we’ll see Justin Tucker nail a 75-yard field goal. Dez Bryant could even throw a touchdown pass, as we saw happen earlier this season.
It might not be a real game, but the Pro Bowl at least gives us another Sunday to watch football, before the big game next Sunday between the Falcons and the Patriots.
How to Watch
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Place: Camping World Stadium, Orlando
TV: ESPN
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, and Lisa Salters
Online: WatchESPN
The Pro Bowl Skills Showdown was absolutely thrilling
See More:
