Some people just aren’t fans of change. The NFL’s new Pro Bowl format is proving that.
After watching the popularity of the game decrease, with more and more players just straight-up forgoing the event each year, the NFL decided to make a change in 2023. The event was rebranded as the “Pro Bowl Games,” forgoing a normal game to put together a weekend-long event that includes flag football, dodgeball, a balloon toss, a long-driving competition and other games.
That’s right, they had NFL football players toss balloons and swing golf clubs.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs summed it up nicely.
“This (expletive) is stupid,” Jacobs told Tashan Reed of The Athletic, calling for the league to just send players and their families on vacation instead.
Opinions vary on the event, however.
Wait, what’s that? Multiple players have called out the new format? Oh.
“I’d rather play football,” Jacobs’ teammate Maxx Crosby told Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports.
In all seriousness, it’s not like everyone hates the format. Without an actual game, players are able to focus more on the vacation aspect of the week. Having a camera in their face at all times has also led to some incredible moment, like Derek Carr dunking on the Raiders out of nowhere.
If the TV ratings even slightly improve over the last several seasons, the “games” could be here to stay. Sorry Josh.
