NFL eliminating Pro Bowl Games, but will still name Pro Bowlers - ESPN

The NFL is discontinuing the Pro Bowl Games, choosing instead to emphasize the honor and recognition of being named a Pro Bowl selection, beginning with the 2026 season.
A class of 88 players will be named as Pro Bowlers in late December, with no replacement selections made after the initial announcement.
Rather than an AFC vs. NFC contest, selected players will be invited to an in-person celebration in Los Angeles during the weekend traditionally reserved for the Pro Bowl Games.
League officials said the decision came from ongoing conversations with players, who valued the distinction of being selected by peers, coaches, and fans over competitive all-star play, according to executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent.
Vincent noted that players did not want competitive games after the playoffs, saying attempts to replicate the physicality seen in championship games "just doesn't sit well" and failed to represent the sport well.
The NFL has staged a Pro Bowl in some form since 1938, pausing only in 2021 due to COVID-19, and had replaced the traditional tackle game with skills challenges, dodgeball, and a culminating flag football contest starting in 2023.