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2025NFLWeek 17

What Is the NFL Pro Bowl? How Players Are Selected (Explained Simply)

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

NFL Pro Bowl Trophy on dispay: here's how players are selected
NFL Pro Bowl trophy (Image Credits: Imagn)

The NFL Pro Bowl is the league’s annual all-star event celebrating the best performers from the season. While many fans know the Pro Bowl as a showcase of elite talent, there’s often confusion about how players are chosen and what the event really means in today’s NFL.
What Is the NFL Pro Bowl?

What Is the NFL Pro Bowl?

The Pro Bowl is the National Football League’s all-star game, featuring standout players from the AFC and NFC conferences. Unlike the regular season or playoffs, the Pro Bowl is a celebration of individual excellence and a chance for the league’s best to be recognized for their performance.

In recent years, the traditional tackle game has evolved into the Pro Bowl Games, which include skills competitions and a non-contact flag football game held during Super Bowl week. The 2026 Pro Bowl Games will take place on February 3, 2026, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, as part of the Super Bowl festivities.

NFL Pro Bowl trophy (Image Credits: Imagn)

How the Pro Bowl Is Different from Regular Games

Unlike regular NFL games:

  • The Pro Bowl is not part of the regular season or playoffs
  • It features players from both conferences
  • The focus is on celebration and entertainment
  • In recent editions, the emphasis is on skill events and flag football rather than full-contact play

How Are Pro Bowl Players Selected?

The Pro Bowl selection process is designed to incorporate input from fans, players, and coaches, ensuring a balanced and representative roster.

1. Fan Voting

Fans can vote for their favorite players online and through social media during the designated voting period, which typically opens late in the season. Fan votes account for one-third of the total Pro Bowl vote.

2. Player Voting

NFL players themselves vote for peers they believe deserve Pro Bowl recognition. Player ballots also make up one-third of the overall vote.

3. Coaches’ Votes

Head coaches submit their ballots for Pro Bowl candidates, and those votes count for the final one-third.

Who Makes the Final Pro Bowl Rosters?

After all voting is tallied:

  • The top vote-getters by position are selected
  • Alternates are named in case initial selections decline, are injured, or are in the Super Bowl
  • The NFL announces the official Pro Bowl rosters in early January.

FAQs About the NFL Pro Bowl

Q1. What is the NFL Pro Bowl?
A. The Pro Bowl is the NFL’s annual all-star event featuring top players from both conferences in a showcase of skill competitions and flag football.

Q2. How are Pro Bowl players selected?
A. Fans, NFL players, and coaches choose the players, with each group accounting for one-third of the total vote.

Q3. When does Pro Bowl voting take place?
A. Voting usually occurs in late November through December of the NFL season.

Q4. Can a Super Bowl team player go to the Pro Bowl?
A. Players on teams that advance to the Super Bowl do not play in the Pro Bowl Games, and alternates typically replace them.

Q5. Is the Pro Bowl still an actual game?
A. Yes, the Pro Bowl now includes a flag football game and skills competitions, held during Super Bowl week.

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