ATLANTA — The National Football League has officially canceled the Pro Bowl, marking the end of a 75-year tradition. The decision, announced Wednesday following a special owners meeting, makes the NFL the first major U.S. sports league to eliminate its annual all-star game.
Viewership for the event reached an all-time low. ESPN's telecast of the Feb. 3 game averaged 1.92 million viewers, a 59 percent decline from the previous year.
The Hall of Fame Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers drew nearly 7 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. The 2026 MLB All-Star Game averaged 8.79 million viewers on Fox and Fox Deportes. NBC's coverage of the Feb. 15 NBA scrimmage delivered a combined 8.79 million impressions on Peacock and 6.73 million on linear TV. The Pro Bowl has not ranked among the top all-star draws since 2019.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has long questioned the event's quality. Following the January 2012 game, where the NFC and AFC combined to score 100 points, Goodell said the game was an embarrassment and that it was "really tough to force competition." He indicated he was "inclined not to play it" if player effort did not improve.
In recent years, the Pro Bowl underwent numerous format changes. It shifted from a postseason scrimmage to skills competitions and eventually a 7-on-7 flag football exhibition. From 2014 to 2016, the league replaced the traditional matchup with a fantasy draft format.
Instead of a game, the NFL will now recognize 88 players for their individual efforts during the season. These players will be named to the Pro Bowl class in late December, beginning with the 2026 season. The new recognition will not include a trip to Hawaii, which last hosted a Pro Bowl 10 years ago.
The last time the Pro Bowl exceeded 10 million viewers was 2014, when a team format averaged 11.4 million viewers on NBC.
