How to watch, rosters, skills competitions and more
LAS VEGAS — The NFL will conduct a revamped Pro Bowl week, dubbed the Pro Bowl Games. Gone is the traditional tackle football game, replaced by a series of skills competitions and three flag football games over the course of Thursday and Sunday in Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. There will be points at stake in every event that will go toward determining the overall winner between the AFC and NFC.
Peyton Manning will coach the AFC team while his brother Eli will coach the NFC. Roster selections were determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counted one-third toward determining the 88 players.
Here’s a look at what to expect.
The skills competition on Thursday will air on ESPN from 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET, and the festivities Sunday will air on ABC and ESPN from 3 to 6 p.m. ET.
Epic Pro Bowl dodgeball: This will be a multiround tournament of classic dodgeball with four teams of five players each. It will begin with the offenses and defenses from the AFC and NFC competing against each other, culminating in an AFC vs. NFC final round. The overall winner receives three points.
Lightning round: This is a new event for 2023. Each conference will choose 16 players to compete in a three-part contest with another three points at stake. The first event is the “Splash Catch,” with teammates from each conference tossing water balloons to one another from increasing distances. The event then moves to “High Stakes,” with advancing players challenged to catch punts from a JUGS machine. In the final stage, the remaining players will move to the “Thrill of the Spill,” with players aiming at buckets hanging above the head of the opposing team’s coach. The first team to dump the bucket wins.
Longest drive: Four players from each conference will compete for the longest drive off a golf tee. Each player gets three swings, with the winner determined by the longest drive within predetermined boundaries. The winner gets three points.
Precision passing: Each of the three quarterbacks from each conference will compete in a one-minute competition testing their accuracy. The quarterback who hits the most targets earns three points for his conference.
Best catch: Two players from each conference compete to show off creativity by showcasing receptions shot at iconic sites around Las Vegas. An online fan vote will determine the favorite from each conference, with the two finalists competing in the next round on Sunday.
Best catch: The two finalists from Thursday compete in front of a panel of celebrity judges to determine the overall winner.
Gridiron gauntlet: The race format will showcase six players from each conference competing in a four-part, 40-yard-long gauntlet. Among the challenges: a tire run and pushing a blocking sled across the finish line.
Kick-tac-toe: The kickers, punters and long snappers will square off in a giant tic-tac-toe competition that displays their respective skills. The first team to complete a connecting line in three squares will win three points for their conference.
Move the chains: Two teams from each conference will compete in a weighted wall pull that tests their strength and speed. Each team consisting of five players must pull a wall of heavy weights 10 yards. The best-of-three competition is worth three points.
Flag football games: The winning conference in the first two flag games will earn six points. Points from the skills competitions and the first two flag games will be combined and will be carried over as the score at the start of the third and final flag game. The winner at the end of that game will be the winning conference.
Mark Andrews was chosen to his third Pro Bowl, one of six Ravens to receive the honor. The following teams won’t be represented: Super Bowl participants Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles; the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts