Pro Bowl
![]() Tackle during 2006 Pro Bowl in Hawaii |
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League (NFL). Since the merger with the rival American Football League (AFL) in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference (AFC) against those in the National Football Conference (NFC).
Unlike most other sports leagues, which hold their all-star games during the halfway point of their respective regular seasons, the Pro Bowl is played at the end of the NFL season. The first Pro Bowl, featuring the all-stars of the 1938 season, was played on January 15, 1939 at Los Angeles' Wrigley Field. The game was then played at various venues before being held at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii for 30 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 2009. The 2010 Pro Bowl was played at Sun Life Stadium, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV, on January 31, the first time ever that the Pro Bowl was held before the championship game, with the conference teams not including players from the teams that will be playing in the Super Bowl. The event is scheduled to return to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012.
Player selection
Currently, players are voted into the Pro Bowl by the coaches, the players themselves, and the fans. Each group's ballots count for one third of the votes. The fans vote online at the NFL's official website. There are also replacements that go to the game should any selected player be unable to play due to injuries. Prior to 1995, only the coaches and the players made Pro Bowl selections.
In order to be considered a Pro Bowler for a given year, a player must either have been one of the initial players selected to the team, or a player who accepts an invitation to the Pro Bowl as an alternate; invited alternates who decline to attend are not considered Pro Bowlers. Being a Pro Bowler is considered to be a mark of honor, and players who are accepted into the Pro Bowl are considered to be elite.
The Pro Bowl head coaches are traditionally the head coaches of the teams that lost in the AFC and NFC championship games for the same season of the Pro Bowl in question. However, for the 2010 Pro Bowl, a new rule was presented: The teams that lose in the divisional playoff game with the best regular-season record will have their coaching staffs lead their respective conference Pro Bowl team. If the losing teams of each conference had the same regular season record the coaches from the higher-seeded team will get the Pro Bowl honor.[1] This was, presumably, to allow the coaches more time with the players while the Pro Bowl is held during the week before the Super Bowl, since the conference championship losers would only have one week to prepare as opposed to three weeks when the Pro Bowl was held the week after the Super Bowl.
Pro Bowl MVP
The first MVP award (or Most Valuable Player) in the Pro Bowl was presented in 1951. From 1957 to 1971, two awards were presented to an offensive back and a defensive lineman. In 1972, there were awards for both an offensive player and a defensive player. Since 1973, only one MVP award has been presented (though three times this award has been presented to multiple players).
Pro Bowl uniforms
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/PeytonManning.jpg/180px-PeytonManning.jpg)
The teams are made of players from different NFL teams, so using their own uniforms would be too confusing. The players each wear the helmet of their team, but the home jerseys and pants are either a solid blue for the NFC or solid red for the AFC, while white jerseys with blue or red accents, respectively, for the away team. While it has been speculated that the color of Pro Bowl jerseys is determined by the winner of the Super Bowl, this is untrue. The design of Pro Bowl uniforms is changed every two years, and the color and white jerseys are rotated along with the design change. This has been Pro Bowl tradition since the switch to team specific helmets, which started with the January 1979 game. The two-year switch was originally created as a marketing ploy by Nike, and has been continued by Reebok, who won the merchandising contract in 2002. The early Pro Bowl, contested by the National Football League's Eastern and Western Division stars and played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, featured the same uniforms from the 1950s to mid-1960s; the Eastern team wore scarlet jerseys with white numerals and a white crescent shoulder stripe, white pants with red stripe, red socks, and a plain red helmet. The Western team wore white jerseys with royal-blue numerals and a Northwestern University-style triple stripe on the sleeves, white pants with blue stripe and socks and a plain blue helmet. Perhaps oddly, the Eastern team, wore home dark jerseys, although the host-city team, the Los Angeles Rams, were members of the Western Conference. From January 1967 to January 1970 both teams wore gold helmets with the NFL logo on the sides; the Eastern helmets featured a red-white-red tri-stripe and the Western a similar blue-white-blue tri-stripe. In fact the players brought their own game helmets to Los Angeles, which were then spray-painted and decorated for the contest. (For the 1970 game the helmets featured the 50 NFL logo, commemorating the league's half-century anniversary.)
In the earliest years of the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, the players did not wear their unique helmets, as they do now. The AFC All-Stars wore a solid red helmet with a white A on it, while the NFC players wore a solid white helmet with a blue N on it. The AFC's red helmets were paired with white jerseys and red pants, while the NFC's white helmets were paired with blue jerseys and white pants.
Two players with the same number who are elected to the Pro Bowl can now wear the same number for that game. This was not always the case in the past.
The 2008 Pro Bowl included a unique example of several players from the same team wearing the same number in a Pro Bowl. For the game, Washington Redskins players T Chris Samuels, TE Chris Cooley, and LS Ethan Albright all wore the number 21 (a number normally inappropriate for their positions) in memory of their teammate Sean Taylor who had been murdered during the 2007 season.[2]
Game results
NFL All-Star Games (1939–1942)
- No Most Valuable Player awards were presented during these games
Season | Date | Score | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
1938 | January 15, 1939 | New York Giants 13, Pro All-Stars 10 | Wrigley Field, Los Angeles |
1939 | January 14, 1940 | Green Bay Packers 16, NFL All-Stars 7 | Gilmore Stadium, Los Angeles |
1940 | December 29, 1940 | Chicago Bears 28, NFL All-Stars 14 | Gilmore Stadium, Los Angeles |
1941 | January 4, 1942 | Chicago Bears 35, NFL All-Stars 24 | Polo Grounds, New York City |
1942 | December 27, 1942 | NFL All-Stars 17, Washington Redskins 14 | Shibe Park, Philadelphia |
- 1943-50 - No games
NFL Pro Bowls (1951–70)
Season | Date | Score | Most Valuable Players | Venue[3] | Head Coaches | Television |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | January 14, 1951 | American Conference 28, National Conference 27 | Otto Graham, Cleveland Browns, Quarterback | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | AC: Paul Brown, Cleveland NC:Joe Stydahar, Los Angeles |
|
1951 | January 12, 1952 | National Conference 30, American Conference 13 | Dan Towler, Los Angeles Rams, Running back | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | AC: Paul Brown, Cleveland NC:Joe Stydahar, Los Angeles |
NBC |
1952 | January 10, 1953 | National Conference 27, American Conference 7 | Don Doll, Detroit Lions, Defensive back | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | AC: Paul Brown, Cleveland NC:Buddy Parker, Detroit |
NBC |
1953 | January 17, 1954 | East 20, West 9 | Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles, Linebacker | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Paul Brown, Cleveland WC: Buddy Parker, Detroit |
NBC |
1954 | January 16, 1955 | West 26, East 19 | Billy Wilson, San Francisco 49ers, End | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Jim Trimble, Philadelphia WC:Buck Shaw, San Francisco |
NBC |
1955 | January 15, 1956 | East 31, West 30 | Ollie Matson, Chicago Cardinals, Running back | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Joe Kuharich, Washington WC: Sid Gillman, Los Angeles |
NBC |
1956 | January 13, 1957 | West 19, East 10 | Back: Bert Rechichar, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC:Jim Lee Howell, New York WC: Paddy Driscoll, Chicago Bears |
NBC |
1957 | January 12, 1958 | West 26, East 7 | Back: Hugh McElhenny, San Francisco 49ers Lineman: Gene Brito, Washington Redskins |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Buddy Parker, Pittsburgh WC:George Wilson, Detroit |
NBC |
1958 | January 11, 1959 | East 28, West 21 | Back: Frank Gifford, New York Giants Lineman: Doug Atkins, Chicago Bears |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC:Jim Lee Howell, New York WC:Weeb Ewbank, Baltimore |
NBC |
1959 | January 17, 1960 | West 38, East 21 | Back: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, Pittsburgh Steelers |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC:Buck Shaw, Philadelphia WC:Red Hickey, San Francisco |
NBC |
1960 | January 15, 1961 | West 35, East 31 | Back: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Sam Huff, New York Giants |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC:Buck Shaw, Philadelphia WC:Vince Lombardi, Green Bay |
NBC |
1961 | January 14, 1962 | West 31, East 30 | Back: Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns Lineman: Henry Jordan, Green Bay Packers |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Allie Sherman, New York WC:Norm Van Brocklin, Minnesota |
NBC |
1962 | January 13, 1963 | East 30, West 20 | Back: Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns Lineman: Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, Pittsburgh Steelers |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Allie Sherman, New York WC: Vince Lombardi, Green Bay |
NBC |
1963 | January 12, 1964 | West 31, East 17 | Back: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts Lineman: Gino Marchetti, Baltimore Colts |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Allie Sherman, New York WC:George Halas, Chicago |
NBC |
1964 | January 10, 1965 | West 34, East 14 | Back: Fran Tarkenton, Vikings Lineman: Terry Barr, Detroit Lions |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Blanton Collier, Cleveland WC:Don Shula, Baltimore |
NBC |
1965 | January 15, 1966 | East 36, West 7 | Back: Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns Lineman: Dale Meinert, St. Louis Cardinals |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Blanton Collier, Cleveland WC: Vince Lombardi, Green Bay |
CBS |
1966 | January 22, 1967 | East 20, West 10 | Back: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears Lineman: Floyd Peters, Philadelphia Eagles |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Tom Landry, Dallas WC: George Allen, Los Angeles |
CBS |
1967 | January 21, 1968 | West 38, East 20 | Back: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears Lineman: Dave Robinson, Green Bay Packers |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC:Otto Graham, Washington WC: Don Shula, Baltimore |
CBS |
1968 | January 19, 1969 | West 10, East 7 | Back: Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams Lineman: Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles Rams |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Tom Landry, Dallas WC: George Allen, Los Angeles |
CBS |
1969 | January 18, 1970 | West 16, East 13 | Back: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears Lineman: George Andrie, Dallas Cowboys |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | EC: Tom Fears, New Orleans WC:Norm Van Brocklin, Atlanta |
CBS |
AFC–NFC Pro Bowls (1971–present)
Date | Score | Series | Most Valuable Player(s) | Venue | Head Coaches | Television |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 24, 1971 | NFC, 27-6 | NFC, 1-0 | Lineman: Fred Carr, Packers Back: Mel Renfro, Cowboys |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Dick Nolan, San Francisco |
CBS |
January 23, 1972 | AFC, 26-13 | Tied, 1-1 | Defense: Willie Lanier, Chiefs Offense: Jan Stenerud, Chiefs |
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California | AFC: Don McCafferty, Baltimore NFC: Dick Nolan, San Francisco |
NBC |
January 21, 1973 | AFC, 33-28 | AFC, 2-1 | O.J. Simpson, Bills, Running back | Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas | AFC: Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas |
CBS |
January 20, 1974 | AFC, 15-13 | AFC, 3-1 | Garo Yepremian, Dolphins, Placekicker | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas |
NBC |
January 20, 1975[4] | NFC, 17-10 | AFC, 3-2 | James Harris, Rams, Quarterback | Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles |
ABC |
January 26, 1976[4] | NFC, 23-20 | Tied, 3-3 | Billy Johnson, Oilers, Kick returner | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles |
ABC |
January 17, 1977[4] | AFC, 24-14 | AFC, 4-3 | Mel Blount, Steelers, Cornerback | The Kingdome, Seattle, Washington | AFC: Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh NFC: Chuck Knox, Los Angeles |
ABC |
January 23, 1978[4] | NFC, 14-13 | Tied, 4-4 | Walter Payton, Bears, Running back | Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida | AFC: John Madden, Oakland NFC: Bud Grant, Minnesota |
ABC |
January 29, 1979[4] | NFC, 13-7 | NFC, 5-4 | Ahmad Rashad, Vikings, Wide receiver | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California | AFC: Bum Phillips, Houston NFC: Ray Malavasi, Los Angeles |
ABC |
January 27, 1980 | NFC, 37-27 | NFC, 6-4 | Chuck Muncie, Saints, Running back | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bum Phillips, Houston NFC: John McKay, Tampa Bay |
ABC |
February 1, 1981 | NFC, 21-7 | NFC, 7-4 | Eddie Murray, Lions, Placekicker | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Don Coryell, San Diego NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas |
ABC |
January 31, 1982 | AFC, 16-13 | NFC, 7-5 | Lee Roy Selmon, Buccaneers, Defensive end Kellen Winslow, Chargers, Tight end |
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Don Coryell, San Diego NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas |
ABC |
February 6, 1983 | NFC, 20-19 | NFC, 8-5 | Dan Fouts, Chargers, Quarterback John Jefferson, Packers, Wide receiver |
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Walt Michaels, N.Y. Jets NFC: Tom Landry, Dallas |
ABC |
January 29, 1984 | NFC, 45-3 | NFC, 9-5 | Joe Theismann, Redskins, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Chuck Knox, Seattle NFC: Bill Walsh, San Francisco |
ABC |
January 27, 1985 | AFC, 22-14 | NFC, 9-6 | Mark Gastineau, Jets, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh NFC: Mike Ditka, Chicago |
ABC |
February 2, 1986 | NFC, 28-24 | NFC, 10-6 | Phil Simms, Giants, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Don Shula, Miami NFC: John Robinson, L.A. Rams |
ABC |
February 1, 1987 | AFC, 10-6 | NFC, 10-7 | Reggie White, Eagles, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland NFC: Joe Gibbs, Washington |
ABC |
February 7, 1988 | AFC, 15-6 | NFC, 10-8 | Bruce Smith, Bills, Defensive end | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland NFC: Jerry Burns, Minnesota |
ESPN |
January 29, 1989 | NFC, 34-3 | NFC, 11-8 | Randall Cunningham, Eagles, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Marv Levy, Buffalo NFC: Mike Ditka, Chicago |
ESPN |
February 4, 1990 | NFC, 27-21 | NFC, 12-8 | Jerry Gray, Rams, Cornerback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bud Carson, Cleveland NFC: John Robinson, L.A. Rams |
ESPN |
February 3, 1991 | AFC, 23-21 | NFC, 12-9 | Jim Kelly, Bills, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Art Shell, L.A. Raiders NFC: George Seifert, San Francisco |
ESPN |
February 2, 1992 | NFC, 21-15 | NFC, 13-9 | Michael Irvin, Cowboys, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Dan Reeves, Denver NFC: Wayne Fontes, Detroit |
ESPN |
February 7, 1993 | AFC, 23-20 (OT) | NFC, 13-10 | Steve Tasker, Bills, Special teams | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Don Shula, Miami NFC: George Seifert, San Francisco |
ESPN |
February 6, 1994 | NFC, 17-3 | NFC, 14-10 | Andre Rison, Falcons, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Marty Schottenheimer, Kansas City NFC: George Seifert, San Francisco |
ESPN |
February 5, 1995 | AFC, 41-13 | NFC, 14-11 | Marshall Faulk, Colts, Running back | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Barry Switzer, Dallas |
ABC |
February 4, 1996 | NFC, 20-13 | NFC, 15-11 | Jerry Rice, 49ers, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Ted Marchibroda, Indianapolis NFC: Mike Holmgren, Green Bay |
ABC |
February 2, 1997 | AFC, 26-23 (OT) | NFC, 15-12 | Mark Brunell, Jaguars, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Tom Coughlin, Jacksonville NFC: Dom Capers, Carolina |
ABC |
February 1, 1998 | AFC, 29-24 | NFC, 15-13 | Warren Moon, Seahawks, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Steve Mariucci, San Francisco |
ABC |
February 7, 1999 | AFC, 23-10 | NFC, 15-14 | Keyshawn Johnson, Jets, Wide receiver Ty Law, Patriots, Cornerback |
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bill Belichick,[5] N.Y. Jets NFC: Dennis Green, Minnesota |
ABC |
February 6, 2000 | NFC, 51-31 | NFC, 16-14 | Randy Moss, Vikings, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Tom Coughlin, Jacksonville NFC: Tony Dungy, Tampa Bay |
ABC |
February 4, 2001 | AFC, 38-17 | NFC, 16-15 | Rich Gannon, Raiders, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Jon Gruden, Oakland NFC: Dennis Green, Minnesota |
ABC |
February 9, 2002[6] | AFC, 38-30 | Tied, 16-16 | Rich Gannon, Raiders, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia |
ABC |
February 2, 2003 | AFC, 45-20 | AFC, 17-16 | Ricky Williams, Dolphins, Running back | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Jeff Fisher, Tennessee NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia |
ABC |
February 8, 2004 | NFC, 55-52 | Tied, 17-17 | Marc Bulger, Rams, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Tony Dungy, Indianapolis NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia |
ESPN |
February 13, 2005 | AFC, 38-27 | AFC, 18-17 | Peyton Manning, Colts, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh NFC: Jim L. Mora, Atlanta |
ESPN |
February 12, 2006 | NFC 23-17 | Tied, 18-18 | Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers, Linebacker | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Mike Shanahan, Denver NFC: John Fox, Carolina |
ESPN |
February 10, 2007[6] | AFC 31-28 | AFC, 19-18 | Carson Palmer, Bengals, Quarterback | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Bill Belichick, New England NFC: Sean Payton, New Orleans |
CBS |
February 10, 2008 | NFC 42-30 | Tied, 19-19 | Adrian Peterson, Vikings, Running Back | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: Norv Turner, San Diego, NFC: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay |
Fox |
February 8, 2009 | NFC 30-21 | NFC 20-19 | Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, Wide receiver | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii | AFC: John Harbaugh, Baltimore NFC: Andy Reid, Philadelphia |
NBC |
January 31, 2010 | AFC 41-34 | Tied, 20-20 | Matt Schaub, Texans, Quarterback | Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida | NFC: Wade Phillips, Dallas AFC: Norv Turner, San Diego |
ESPN |
TBD, 2011 | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii[7] | Fox | ||||
TBD, 2012 | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii [8] | NBC |
Stadiums that have hosted the Pro Bowl
- Wrigley Field, Los Angeles (1939)
- Gilmore Stadium, Los Angeles (Jan and Dec 1940)
- Polo Grounds, New York (Jan 1942)
- Shibe Park, Philadelphia (Dec 1942)
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1951–1972, 1979)
- Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas (1973)
- Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City (1974)
- Miami Orange Bowl (1975)
- Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans (1976)
- Kingdome, Seattle (1977)
- Tampa Stadium (1978)
- Aloha Stadium, Honululu (1980–2009)
- Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida (2010)
Records
- Merlin Olsen (Rams) and Bruce Matthews (Oilers/Titans) each were in 14 pro-bowls. Olsen played in 14 consecutive pro-bowls beginning his rookie year.
- In the 20 seasons prior to the AFL–NFL merger, the Western/National Conference won both the Pro Bowl and the NFL Championship game nine times, while the Eastern/American won both two times. In the years they have split, the East won the Pro Bowl and West won the NFL title five times, while the reverse has occurred four times. Also, in this era, the National/Western Conference won 13 of 20 games played against the American/Eastern Conference.
- In the 37 seasons since the AFL–NFL Merger, both conferences have swept the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl 9 times. In the 19 years they have split, the NFC has won the Super Bowl 10 times.
- Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts players have won six MVP awards, more than any other team. Chicago Bears and Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams players have won five MVP awards. Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns players have won four MVP awards. 10 teams have won two, and 13 teams have won one each. The Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos have never had a player win an MVP award.
- Quarterbacks have won 16 MVP awards; wide receivers are second with eight.
- Only two AFC–NFC Pro Bowls have gone to overtime. Both have been won by the AFC in overtime with field goals.
- Due to the rescheduling of Super Bowl XXXVI in the wake of 9/11, the 2002 game was moved from Sunday to the following Saturday, one week later.
- Sean Taylor was voted to the 2007/08 NFC Roster as a starter at free safety, shortly after he was fatally shot in his home by armed intruders. This was the first time in Pro Bowl history that a player was named as a Pro Bowler posthumously. The NFC took the field on defense for their first series with only 10 players on the field. He was later replaced by Roy Williams.[2]
- John Madden and Tom Landry have coached in the most Pro Bowls (5 each).
- Pittsburgh head coaches Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll are #1 and #2 in Pro Bowls won (Cowher 4, Noll 3).
- The 2007/08 Dallas Cowboys have the most selections in one season with 13.
- The most points in a single game was 55 by the NFC in the 2004 Pro Bowl, which also featured the most points by the losing team (the AFC scored 52).
- Marshall Faulk and Adrian Peterson are the only rookies in NFL history to win both the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and the Pro Bowl’s Most Valuable Player Award in the same season.
Television
- Under the current NFL television contract, the network which airs the Super Bowl will air the Pro Bowl. The 2007 game on CBS was held on the Saturday after Super Bowl XLI because of the 49th Grammy Awards. The 2008 game was on Fox, broadcaster of Super Bowl XLII. Likewise, the 2009 game was on NBC, broadcaster of Super Bowl XLIII. CBS sold off their rights to the 2010 game to ESPN, which was played a week before the Super Bowl at the Super Bowl site, Sun Life Stadium.
- The Pro Bowl was originally broadcast on an alternative basis by CBS and NBC (with the other network broadcasting the Super Bowl) from 1971–1974. Later, the game was broadcast as part of the Monday Night Football package on ABC from 1975–1987 and again from 1995–2003. In 2004–2006, ABC sold its rights to the Pro Bowl to sister network ESPN (who had shown it from 1988-1994). In those years, the ESPN Sunday Night Football crew covered the game.
- In the early 2000s, after suffering through several years of dwindling ratings ABC considered moving the game to Monday night. The idea was scrapped, however, when ABC decided to sell off the rights to sister network ESPN.
- Throughout his broadcasting career, John Madden declined to be part of the announcing crew when his network carried the Pro Bowl due to his aviatophobia and claustrophobia (a joke referencing both is made in the Madden NFL '97 before the beginning of the Pro Bowl in season mode, where Madden quips that he drove his "Madden Bus" to Hawaii, rather than flying). Until Madden's retirement from broadcasting after the 2009 Pro Bowl, it had only occurred twice: former San Diego Chargers quarterback and MNF personality Dan Fouts, whom Madden had replaced, took his place on ABC in 2003, and Cris Collinsworth took his place on NBC in 2009 (Collinsworth ended up replacing Madden permanently upon the latter's retirement).
Blackout of game in Hawaii
Although Hawaii does not have a NFL team of its own, the Pro Bowl is still subject to the NFL's blackout policies, requiring the game to be blacked out within the state of Hawaii if it doesn't sell out all of its seats.[9][10] This restriction will not be in effect in Hawaii for the 2010 game, but will be transferred to the Miami media market.
Criticism
The Pro Bowl has been plagued with criticism ever since the NFL allowed fan voting. Voting by fans makes up 1/3 of the vote for Pro Bowl players. Many teams like Dallas, New York, and other large fan bases usually win because fans usually vote for their own team and not necessarily the best player. In the 2008 Pro Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys had thirteen players on the NFC roster, an NFL record. "If you're in a small market, no one really gets to see you play," said Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield. "If you're a quiet guy, it's hard to get the attention. You just have to work hard and play." Winfield made the Pro Bowl in 2008 after ten seasons of being shut out.[11]
The player voting has also been subject to significant criticism. It is not uncommon for the players to pick the same players over and over again; former offensive lineman (and SI.com analyst) Ross Tucker has cited politics, incumbency, and compensation for injury in previous years as primary factors in player's choices among themselves.[12]
Some players have had a surprisingly small number of Pro Bowl selections despite distinguished careers. Hall of fame running back John Riggins was only selected once in his career from 1971-1985. He was not selected in the year where he set the record for rushing touchdowns in a season and his team made it to the Super Bowl (though he did make the all-pro team). Defensive Back Ken Riley never made the Pro Bowl in his 15 seasons, even though he recorded 65 interceptions, the fourth highest total in NFL history at the time of his retirement.
See also
- American Football League All-Star games
- All-America Football Conference All-Star Game
- List of Pro Bowl broadcasters
References
- ^ Wyche, Steve (2009-12-28). "Pro Bowl selections, like game itself, will have new wrinkles". NFL.com. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ a b Corbett, Jim (2008-02-11). "Peterson helps NFC roar back for Pro Bowl crown". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
- ^ "The 1952 Pro Bowl".
{{cite news}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help); Text "http://www.mmbolding.com/BSR/The_1952_Pro_Bowl.htm" ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e Monday night game.
- ^ Filled in for then-Jets head coach Bill Parcells
- ^ a b Saturday game.
- ^ http://jay-mariotti.fanhouse.com/2010/01/31/time-to-put-pro-bowl-out-of-its-misery/
- ^ http://jay-mariotti.fanhouse.com/2010/01/31/time-to-put-pro-bowl-out-of-its-misery/
- ^ NFL lifts TV blackout as Pro Bowl nears sell out
- ^ Pro Bowl Blackout Date Extended (KHOU-TV)
- ^ Jemele Hill (2008-12-09). "Take away the fan vote". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
- ^ Tucker, Ross. NFL Pro Bowl voting among players should be consistent. SI.com
External links
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